Peer Tutoring, Parental Support, and School Environment as Correlates of Mathematics Anxiety of Secondary School Students in Owerri

Abstract

This study investigated peer tutoring, parental support and school environment as correlates of mathematics anxiety of secondary school students in Owerri. The study adopted a correlation research survey design of ex-post facto type, applying quantitative measures. The population for this study consisted of 300 senior secondary school students who had consistently scored below 25% in the first and second term mathematics subject examinations from ten randomly selected secondary schools in Owerri, Imo State. Four Standardized instruments were used for data collection. Data was analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression Analysis statistical tools at 0.05 level of significance. The result indicates that significant relationship exists between the independent variables (Peer tutoring, parental support and school environment) and the dependent variable (mathematics anxiety of secondary school students) in order of magnitude as thus: peer tutoring (R=0.526, p<0.05), parental support (R=0.402, p<0.05) and school environment (R=0.343, p<0.05). The three independent variables (Peer tutoring, parental support and school environment) made a joint correlational impact of 68.5% on mathematics anxiety of secondary school students. The composite effect of the independent variables as jointly contributive on mathematics anxiety of secondary school students are revealed as thus, R= .774, RS= .685, Adj. RS= .540 and Std. error of estimate 7.113. The result of the multiple regression analysis produced an F-ratio (3/296) = 58.79, which was significant at p<0.05 alpha level. Likewise, peer tutoring correlates significantly with mathematics anxiety of secondary school students: r (298) = .526, p<.05. Also, parental support positively and significantly correlates with mathematics anxiety of secondary school students: r (298) = .402, p<.05. Furthermore, school environment correlates significantly with mathematics anxiety of secondary school students: r (298) = .343, p<.05. It was recommended that school authorities should encourage the use of peer tutoring teaching strategy as it is found to significantly improve the learning capability of academically-at-risk student.