Math Attitudes and Math Anxiety Predict Students' Perception of Teacher Support in Primary School, but Not Vice Versa

May 12, 2026

Background and aims investigate how perceived teacher support, math attitudes, and math anxiety interrelate over time in Chinese primary school students. A three-year cross-lagged panel design with 1802 students from two public schools tests reciprocal and directional effects, including multigroup checks for gender variation. Results show bidirectional links between math attitudes and math anxiety, while both constructs predict later perceived teacher support one year afterward, without reverse prediction. Mediation patterns emerge via cross-time effects, with no significant gender moderation in these pathways.

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May 12, 2026