Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale
Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS) · Also known as: MARS, Math Anxiety Measure
The Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS) is a self-report instrument measuring the degree of anxiety students experience in mathematical situations. Developed by Richardson and Suinn (1972) and revised by Plake and Parker (1995), it assesses emotional and physiological responses to math learning and performance. Mathematics anxiety—fear or dread anticipating math tasks—significantly undermines achievement, particularly in STEM fields, and is a target for intervention in educational and clinical settings.
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When to use it
The MARS is used in educational and clinical settings to assess mathematics anxiety, identify students needing intervention, evaluate effectiveness of anxiety-reduction or math support programs, conduct research on relationships between anxiety and achievement, and guide placement in remedial or accelerated mathematics courses.
Strengths & limitations
- Specifically measures mathematics anxiety, not general anxiety; captures domain-specific concerns
- Well-validated across diverse populations and educational levels
- Brief and easy to administer; suitable for large-scale screening
- Scores predict math achievement and provide entry points for targeted intervention
- Self-report bias: students may under-report anxiety due to embarrassment or social desirability
- State-trait distinction: the scale measures anxious feelings in general math contexts but may not capture acute test anxiety in the moment
- Causality unclear: anxiety reduces math performance, but poor performance also increases anxiety; measurement captures correlation, not direction
Frequently asked
Is math anxiety the same as being bad at math?
No. Many highly capable mathematicians and engineers experience anxiety. Conversely, some students with lower math ability may have little anxiety. Anxiety and ability are related but distinct; anxiety can impair performance even in capable students, and reducing anxiety without building skills is insufficient.
Can math anxiety be cured?
Math anxiety can be substantially reduced through a combination of approaches: building competence and mastery in math (so students have positive experiences), cognitive-behavioral work on anxious thoughts, exposure-based approaches (gradually encountering feared situations), and creating psychologically safe learning environments. Complete elimination is unlikely, but functional reduction is achievable.
Does telling a student not to be anxious help?
No; dismissing anxiety is invalidating and typically increases it. Effective approaches acknowledge anxiety, normalize it as a common experience, teach coping strategies, build competence, and create supportive environments. Acceptance and commitment-based approaches (accepting anxiety while proceeding with math learning) are often effective.
Sources
- Richardson, F. C., & Suinn, R. M. (1972). The Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale: Psychometric data. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 19(6), 551-554. DOI: 10.1037/h0033456 ↗
- Plake, B. S., & Parker, C. S. (1995). Development and validation of a revised version of the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale. Journal of Educational Psychology, 87(2), 331-337. link ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS). ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/educational-psychology/mathematics-anxiety-scale
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