The Relation Between Mathematics Anxiety and Mathematics Competence for Students With Versus Without Mathematics Learning Difficulties.

This study examines the relationship between mathematics anxiety and mathematics competence among U.S. sixth graders with and without mathematics learning difficulties (MLD), defined as scoring at or below the 25th percentile on a mathematics screener or having a school-identified learning disability in mathematics. Using data from a randomized control trial, the study found that for students without MLD, mathematics anxiety negatively affected both mathematics vocabulary and computational fluency, which in turn fully mediated its impact on mathematics competence. In contrast, for students with MLD, mathematics anxiety showed no direct effect on mathematics competence or foundational skills, with mathematics vocabulary alone significantly predicting mathematics competence. These findings suggest differing mechanisms linking mathematics anxiety and performance by MLD status and highlight the importance of targeted interventions focusing on mathematics vocabulary and computational fluency to improve outcomes for students with MLD.