Mathematics teaching anxiety and self-efficacy beliefs toward mathematics teaching: A path analysis

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between pre-service primary school teachers' mathematics teaching anxiety and their self-efficacy beliefs toward mathematics teaching through path analysis. There were a total of 250 pre-service primary school teachers involved in this study. Of the total, 202 were female and 48 were male pre-service primary school teachers. To collect the data, the researcher employed two types of instruments: the mathematics teaching anxiety scale and self-efficacy beliefs toward mathematics teaching scale. For data analysis, Linear Structural Relationship (LISREL) program was used. In the analysis of the data, the researcher used path analyze technique in order to explain the relations. The study revealed that the content knowledge dimension of mathematics teaching anxiety had a negative effect on the efficacy in teaching, motivation and taking on responsibility and effective teaching dimensions of self-efficacy beliefs toward mathematic teaching. Similarly, self-confidence dimension of mathematics teaching anxiety affected the efficacy in teaching and effective teaching dimensions of self-efficacy beliefs toward mathematic teaching negatively. And also, the teaching knowledge dimension of mathematics teaching anxiety had a negative effect on the effective teaching dimension of self-efficacy beliefs toward mathematics teaching. Key words: Mathematics, teaching anxiety, self-efficacy belief, mathematics teaching.