Abstract
The measure of mathematics anxiety most widely used in screening and as a before and after measure to evaluate the impact of interventions is the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS) devised by Suinn, Edie, Nicoletti, and Spinelli (1972). Alexander and Cobb (1987), Hunsley (1987), Richardson and Suinn (1972), Trent and Fournet (1987), Hadfield and Maddux (1988), Ferguson (1986), and Dew, Galassi and Galassi (1984), have used it; Wigfield and Meece (1988) refer to it as the most frequently used measure of mathematics anxiety; and Englehard (1990) recommends its use by future researchers. It was given qualified approval in a review by Hannafin (1985), and though Knapp's review (1985) was rather negative, he does concede that it has little or no competition.
Suinn and Edwards (1982) produced a version of the scale for adolescents (MARS-A). As noted by Hannafin (1985), it is virtually indistinguishable from the original, the differences involving minor and infrequent word substitutions.
According to Suinn (1979, p.2): The MARS-A can be used to screen individual students in order to plan their placements in special mathematics courses, provide counseling, or provide for intervention through programs such as desensitization for anxiety. Typically, a value above the 75% level would indicate the student is eligible for attention of this type, however a school may wish to develop its own norms or cut-off scores.
The MARS-A can also be used as a measure for evaluating programs. It could be administered prior to a new counseling program or curriculum change, and readministered later to determine the effects of the program. Finally, the MARS-A may be used as a part of direct research on mathematics anxiety. For example, it would be a useful measure in studies which examine the role of curriculum content, parental characteristics, extracurricular activities, etc., influencing mathematics anxiety.
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