Research Article

Math anxiety, self-efficacy, and ability in British undergraduate nursing students

  1. Miriam McMullan1,†,*,
  2. Ray Jones1,‡,
  3. Susan Lea2,§

Article first published online: 19 JAN 2012

DOI: 10.1002/nur.21460

Additional Information

How to Cite

McMullan, M., Jones, R. and Lea, S. (2012), Math anxiety, self-efficacy, and ability in British undergraduate nursing students. Research in Nursing & Health. doi: 10.1002/nur.21460

Author Information

  1. 1

    Faculty of Health, Education and Society, University of Plymouth, Peninsula Allied Health Centre, Derriford Road, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK

  2. 2

    Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK

  1. †

    Lecturer.

  2. ‡

    Professor of Health Informatics.

  3. §

    Vice-Dean.

*Faculty of Health, Education and Society, University of Plymouth, Peninsula Allied Health Centre, Derriford Road, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK.

Publication History

  1. Article first published online: 19 JAN 2012
  2. Manuscript Accepted: 28 DEC 2011

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Keywords:

  • anxiety;
  • drug-dosage calculations;
  • numerical ability;
  • nursing;
  • self-efficacy

Abstract

Nurses need to be able to make drug calculations competently. In this study, involving 229 second year British nursing students, we explored the influence of mathematics anxiety, self-efficacy, and numerical ability on drug calculation ability and determined which factors would best predict this skill. Strong significant relationships (p < .001) existed between anxiety, self-efficacy, and ability. Students who failed the numerical and/or drug calculation ability tests were more anxious (p < .001) and less confident (p ≤ .002) in performing calculations than those who passed. Numerical ability made the strongest unique contribution in predicting drug calculation ability (beta = 0.50, p < .001) followed by drug calculation self-efficacy (beta = 0.16, p = .04). Early testing is recommended for basic numerical skills. Faculty are advised to refresh students' numerical skills before introducing drug calculations. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health

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