Thomas E. Hunt

The Development and Part Validation of a U.K. Scale for Mathematics Anxiety.

There is a paucity of information surrounding maths anxiety levels in the British undergraduate student population, and, due to terminological issues, existing measures of maths anxiety may not be appropriate measures to use with this population. The current study, therefore, reports on the development and validation of a new maths anxiety scale. Using a large sample of British undergraduates, the 23-item Mathematics Anxiety Scale—UK (MAS-UK) is shown to be a reliable and valid measure of maths anxiety. Exploratory factor analysis indicated the existence of three factors, highlighting maths anxiety as a multidimensional construct. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a good-fitting model. Normative data on maths anxiety in a British undergraduate student population are provided, along with comparisons between academic undergraduate subject areas and genders. The MAS-UK may represent an easily administrable, reliable, and valid tool for assessing maths anxiety in British and potentially European undergraduate student populations.

Children's Construction Task Performance and Spatial Ability: Controlling Task Complexity and Predicting Mathematics Performance

This paper presents a methodology to control construction task complexity and examined the relationships between construction performance and spatial and mathematical abilities in children. The study included three groups of children (N =96); ages 7–8, 10–11, and 13–14 years. Each group constructed seven pre-specified objects. The study replicated and extended previous findings that indicated that the extent of component symmetry and variety, and the number of components for each object and available for selection, significantly predicted construction task difficulty. Results showed that this methodology is a valid and reliable technique for assessing and predicting construction play task difficulty. Furthermore, construction play performance predicted mathematical attainment independently of spatial ability.

Preparing for collaborative working in mental health: an interprofessional education project with clinical psychology trainees and nursing students

Purpose – Effective interprofessional working is widely claimed to enhance service delivery, user satisfaction, and most importantly, clinical outcomes. Achieving this position is proving difficult. Research suggests that strategies to enhance interprofessional collaboration should begin at the earliest possible opportunity to prevent negative stereotypes from developing. This project was an attempt to develop effective interprofessional education (IPE) across staff groups who work in the mental health arena (mental health nursing students and clinical psychology trainees).Design/methodology/approach – Participants were whole cohorts of undergraduate mental health nursing students (n=11) in their second year of training (at the commencement of their “branch” programme), and trainees on the doctorate in clinical psychology (n=10) at the start of their first year of training. IPE sessions were facilitated by mental health nursing and clinical psychology academic staff and clinicians. Activities included cre...