The impact of the mathematical adversity quotient on preparatory students’ mathematics learning engagement: moderated mediation effect analysis

TL;DR

This study explores how students' math engagement is influenced by their ability to handle challenges, anxiety, and teacher support in preparatory education.

Contribution

The study introduces a moderated mediation model showing how math anxiety and teacher support interact with students' adversity quotient to affect math engagement.

Findings

Higher mathematical adversity quotient (MAQ) directly and indirectly boosts math engagement through reduced anxiety.

Teacher support amplifies the positive effect of MAQ on engagement but intensifies the negative impact of math anxiety.

The findings suggest that teacher support can simultaneously enhance resilience and worsen anxiety-related disengagement.

Abstract

This study investigated how preparatory students’ engagement in mathematics emerges from the interplay between internal resources, emotional states, and the classroom context. A sample of 484 preparatory students completed the Mathematical Adversity Quotient Scale, Math Anxiety Scale, Teacher Support Scale, and Mathematics Learning Engagement Scale. Using PROCESS (Model 4 and Model 15), we tested a moderated mediation framework in which math anxiety mediates the effect of the Mathematical Adversity Quotient (MAQ) on engagement, and teacher support moderates the MAQ → mathematics learning engagement and math anxiety → mathematics learning engagement paths. The results indicated that MAQ positively predicted mathematics engagement both directly and indirectly via reduced math anxiety. Teacher support exhibited a double-edged moderating role: it amplified the positive association between MAQ and engagement, yet intensified the negative association between math anxiety and engagement at higher levels of support. These findings refine the person–environment framework of learning engagement by demonstrating that teacher support can simultaneously amplify the positive influence of internal coping resources while intensifying the negative impact of math anxiety on engagement. Practically, preparatory mathematics programs should focus on developing students’ MAQ, shift from universal to diagnostic support that prioritizes psychological safety for highly anxious students, and take advantage of the transitional nature of the preparatory stage by strengthening resilience alongside knowledge remediation.

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