Abstract
This study aimed to examine parental factors and children's math anxiety and performance. Data from 34 parent-child dyads with children in grades third through fifth were gathered through quantitative and qualitative methods. Participants were given a flyer with the Qualtrics link to the questionnaires and asked to share with others. The link included questionnaires for parents as well as for children. The quantitative data were analyzed using correlational methods. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between parental math anxiety and children's math anxiety scores, suggesting a potential transmission of math anxiety from parents to children. However, no significant associations were found between parental math anxiety and children's math performance. Additionally, a significant negative correlation was found between parental math ability and the frequency of homework help provided. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between parents' rating of their children's math performance and the quality of interactions during homework sessions, indicating warmer and more satisfying interactions. Qualitative analyses revealed that when compared to parents with lower math anxiety, parents with higher math anxiety scores claimed to get more frustrated when their children were frustrated. Parents with lower anxiety claimed trying to stay calm or finding different methods to help their children. Lower anxiety parents saw math as important for their children because it plays a role in their everyday life, on the other hand, parents in the higher anxiety group focused on math helping to earn more money. The study highlights the need to consider parental factors in understanding and addressing children's math anxiety and suggest the importance of interventions and support to address parental math anxiety and promote positive math experiences for children. By understanding the role of parents in shaping children's math anxiety and performance, educators and practitioners can develop interventions to reduce math anxiety and enhance children's math learning experience.