The Role of Spatial Anxiety in The Relationship Between Mathematics Anxiety and Spatial Reasoning

This study explored the connection between mathematics anxiety and spatial reasoning, examining potential mediating and moderating effects of spatial anxiety, as well as the roles of grade level and gender. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 477 elementary school students in Jakarta, selected through convenience sampling. Participants included 185 from grade 4, 179 from grade 5, and 113 from grade 6, with a gender distribution of 51.4% male and 48.6% female. Mediation and moderation analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro in SPSS. The findings revealed that (1) mathematics anxiety has a significant negative direct effect on spatial reasoning; (2) spatial anxiety mediates the relationship between mathematics anxiety and spatial reasoning; and (3) the strength of this relationship varies according to levels of spatial anxiety. These results suggest that students with higher mathematics anxiety may experience greater difficulty with spatial reasoning tasks. Accordingly, interventions targeting both mathematics and spatial anxiety could enhance spatial reasoning among those with elevated mathematics anxiety. Beyond these implications, the findings underscore the importance of improving educational efficiency through targeted interventions and strengthening educators' responsibility for addressing affective barriers that limit the development of spatial reasoning skills.