Parental academic pressure, social support, and mathematics anxiety among university students

Sadiat Iyabode Alliu, Kamal Adewole Odunjo-Saka, Sheriff Adewale Olanrewaju, Saheed Abiola SAKA, Addah Temple Tamuno-opubo

Abstract


Abstract: Background: Mathematics anxiety (MA) remains prevalent among university students and may intensify under strong parental academic pressure, particularly in collectivist educational settings.
Objective: This study explored whether loneliness mediates the link between parental academic pressure and MA and whether peer support or gender moderates these associations among Nigerian undergraduates. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 650 students from federal, state, and private universities was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling with 5,000 bootstrap resamples. Findings: Parental academic pressure significantly predicted MA and also increased loneliness, which in turn strongly predicted MA. Loneliness significantly mediated the relationship between parental academic pressure and MA. Peer support showed a small but significant moderating (buffering) effect. Conclusion: Loneliness functions as a significant psychological pathway through which parental academic pressure influences MA among undergraduates. Implications: Interventions that combine parental awareness, structured peer support systems, and accessible university counselling services may help reduce MA and improve student well-being.


Keywords


Mathematics anxiety, Parental pressure, Loneliness, Peer support, Nigerian undergraduates.

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.14417/ap.2271

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