Predicting academic performance in mathematics with NASA-TLX: A brief study in 15-year-old students in Spain

Performance in mathematics is highly linked to the capacity for abstraction and the cognitive demands of the different exercises and problems, which is a fact to take into account when planning academic activities. The present study involving 160 15-year-old students shows that mathematics study and grades are highly correlated with mental workload. Mental workload was analyzed by means of the NASA-TLX test at the beginning of the school year, and was analyzed with the grades obtained at the end of the school year. The high correlation of the NASA-TLX test variables on mental workload, effort and performance (r = -.956***, -.944***, and -.933*** respectively) are an excellent predictor of future academic performance in mathematics grades.