The adaptation of the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale-Elementary Form into Turkish, language validity, and preliminary psychometric investigation

The purpose of the present study was to adapt the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale-Elementary Form (MARS-E, Suinn, 1988) into Turkish by first doing the translation of its items and then the preliminary psychometric investigation of the Turkish form. The study included four different samples: 30 bilingual language experts, 50 Turkish language experts, 50 mathematics subject matter experts, 21 school counselors, and 336 elementary school students. After each item was independently translated into Turkish by three experts, the accuracy of the translation was investigated. Next, the Turkish form was studied in terms of understandability. In order to study, the Turkish form's preliminary properties, the scale was administered to 336 elementary school students. Results showed evidence for language validity, structural validity, content validity, and concurrent validity. In addition, the Turkish form's items were found to have acceptable internal consistency reliabilities. Results were discussed in relation to previous mathematics anxiety literature. It is concluded that the Turkish MARS-E appears to be a valid and reliable instrument in measuring mathematics anxiety levels of Turkish elementary school children.