Mathematics anxiety and self concept: evaluating change using the 'then-now' procedure

Cooperatively structured laboratory sessions were used to introduce undergraduate students to basic research methods and statistics. In a previous evaluation of the effects of this programme using self-report measures, mathematical self-concept was enhanced, but mathematics anxiety did not change. This study replicated the programme but included the use of retrospective pre-tests in order to examine a possible contamination of the previous results through a response-shift bias. Positive effects were found for both mathematics self-concept and anxiety, and there was no evidence of bias resulting from a change in the internal standards used to complete the self-report measures.