The relationship of computer anxiety, mathematics anxiety, trait anxiety, test anxiety, gender, and demographic characteristics among community college students

This study investigated the relationships of four types of anxieties: computer, mathematics, trait, and test anxieties among community college students. In addition, the relationships between these variables, and gender, selected demographic characteristics and experience with computers were examined.;One hundred fifty-three community college students were studied using the Computer Anxiety Index (CAIN), the Mathematics Attitudes Scales, the A-Trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and bipolar adjective checklists, computer experience, and demographic background characteristics.;The subjects in this study were mainly native English speaking and between the ages of 18-25 years old, with slightly more female than male participants. Approximately half were majoring in liberal arts or business. About one-third owned their own computer. The most common use of the computer was for word processing, games and Internet access.;The correlation between computer anxiety and mathematics anxiety was significant and positive. Trait anxiety was moderately and positively related to both mathematics and computer anxiety. Mathematics anxiety was strongly and positively related to test anxiety, but computer anxiety was weakly and positively related to test anxiety.;Females had higher mathematics anxiety than males. Females thought of mathematics as being more of a male domain than males did. There were no significant gender differences concerning computer anxiety, test anxiety, or trait anxiety. English speakers had higher levels of mathematics anxiety than non-native English speakers. Self-perceived skills in typing, computers, and mathematics were negatively related to computer and mathematics anxiety. Even though the relationship was small, the students who perceived themselves as good readers thought mathematics was less of a male domain than students who did not.;Bipolar adjective checklists measuring subjects' feelings towards computers and mathematics were strongly related to computer anxiety and mathematics anxiety. The students who had higher computer anxiety chose negative adjectives to describe the feelings towards computers and negative adjectives are also strongly related to mathematics anxiety.