The development of children’s mathematics achievement in primary school: the early and longitudinal links with perceived teacher support and mathematics anxiety

This longitudinal study investigated developmental trajectories of children’s mathematics achievement, especially the early and longitudinal effects of perceived teacher support and mathematics anxiety. The participants included 1231 Chinese children ( M T1age = 8.49, SD = 0.59; 40.29% female) assessed annually across four waves from Grade 3 through Grade 6. Latent class growth models identified three trajectories of children’s mathematics achievement: a low stable group (9.3%), a medium fast rising group (81.4%), and a high stable rising group (9.3%). Relative to the low stable group, early higher levels of mathematics anxiety were associated with lower odds of membership in the latter two groups both. In terms of the developmental trajectory of perceived teacher support, a higher initial level, a smaller early decline, and faster growth during the middle-to-late period were associated with a greater likelihood of membership in the high stable rising group. In contrast, the developmental trajectory of mathematics anxiety indicated that a higher initial level of as well as a slower subsequent decline were associated with a greater likelihood of membership in the low stable group. These findings highlight the distinct predictive roles of perceived teacher support and mathematics anxiety across diverse trajectories of mathematics achievement. Practically speaking, the present study emphasizes the need for differentiated instructional interventions tailored to children’s achievement levels, with attention to both environmental support and individual academic emotions.