The Role of Achievement Emotions in Math Performance Outcomes of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Author / Creator

  Howard, Kathleen, E.

• Background: Many students with autism are gifted mathematicians, while others seem to perform poorly relative to the general population. In typical student populations, math
  performance is reliably predicted by indicators of cognitive ability and language; however, these relationships have not been consistently replicated among students with autism. Accordingly, it remains unclear how a diagnosis of autism can lead to both math strengths and weaknesses. In order to provide educational support to members of this population, it is necessary to investigate possible factors that may influence their math achievement. The construct of achievement emotions (AchEms), defined as emotions connected to achievement activities and outcomes, is an unexplored, but potentially relevant factor given that many students with autism have difficulties regulating their emotional states as well as their intense special interests. As such, this exploratory descriptive pilot study aimed to determine whether AchEms significantly predict math performance in students with autism above and beyond non-verbal cognitive ability and expressive language. Understanding this relationship could support educators in meeting the learning needs of members of this population.
  Method: Thirty-one students diagnosed with autism aged 5–16 completed standardized measures of math performance, expressive language ability, and non-verbal cognitive ability.
  Participants also completed the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire – Elementary School, which measures enjoyment, boredom, and anxiety across learning contexts (i.e., class time, completing homework, and test writing).
  Results: Pearson correlations and hierarchical regression analyses conducted for each of the three AchEms of interest revealed that non-verbal cognitive ability and expressive language explained 61% of the variance in math performance across all three regression models. In addition, contextually-based math anxiety explained an additional 14.8% (p = .014) of the variance in performance. When cognitive ability and expressive language were controlled, math anxiety experienced during class was the only unique contributor (β = -.372, t[22] = -2.68, p = .014). Math homework and test anxiety did not significantly contribute to the model.
  Conclusion: Although math performance is significantly influenced by cognitive and linguistic skills among members of this population, class-based anxiety is another factor worth
  consideration. Further research is warranted to explore the relationships between AchEms and math performance in greater depth; however, the present results suggest that educators can better support students with autism by implementing strategies designed to reduce anxiety inside the
  classroom to facilitate learning, and promote positive math performance outcomes.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Control-value Theory
  • Autism
  • Achievement Emotions
  • Emotion Regulation

• Graduation date

  Fall 2020

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Education

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-aee0-c674

• License

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