The impact of a multi-dimensional meta-cognitive maths intervention on primary school pupils’ mathematic performance, anxiety, self-regulation and self-concept

Good quality mathematics education is key to economic success at a national level and positively associated with adult social economic status.

A number of factors may hinder mathematics performance, with both cognitive and affective factors identified as causal factors.

The thesis aims to identify the impact of a multi-dimensional intervention on mathematics performance, anxiety, metacognition/self-regulation and self-concept in primary aged pupils.

The systematic literature review investigated one element of the affective impact on mathematics performance, and reviewed effectiveness of interventions to reduce mathematics anxiety.

15 studies met the inclusion criteria which only comprised controlled trials in primary and secondary schools.

It was found that the studies which had the most significant outcomes and provided large effect sizes, were those studies which involved interventions using self-regulated/metacognitive instruction, a co-operative learning approach, a mastery learning approach, problem-solving therapy and cognitive behavioural group therapy.

Using a quantitative, between-group repeated-measure experimental design, the study explored differences between the treatment and control groups, of a multi-dimensional metacognitive intervention with 144 students in Year 4 (average age of 8:08) in 8 schools.

Measures comprising of those to assess mathematics performance, mathematics self-talk and classroom self-regulated behaviours, mathematics anxiety and mathematics self-concept were administered pre and post the intervention.

Analysis of variance identified that the intervention had a significant impact of mathematics performance and some aspects of self-regulated behaviours. However, there was not a significant difference in mathematics anxiety and self-concept.

Exploratory investigation using analysis of covariance identified that there was a significant impact on males' mathematics self-concept in the intervention group.

Multiple linear regressions identified the relative contribution of affective and cognitive factors to mathematics performance and anxiety, suggesting that prior lower performance has a greater impact on mathematics anxiety and t poor self-concept is an important predictor of mathematics anxiety.