The Interplay of Vocabulary, Working Memory, and Math Anxiety in Predicting Early Math Performance
Abstract
1. Introduction
1.1. The Relationship Between Mathematics and Language, Particularly Vocabulary
1.2. Intersection of Vocabulary, Working Memory, Math Anxiety, and Math Performance
1.3. The Current Study
- What are the relationships between general vocabulary, math-specific vocabulary, math anxiety, and math performance in Chilean second-grade students?
- Do working memory and math anxiety mediate the relationships between vocabulary (general and math-specific) and math performance?
- Both general and math-specific vocabulary will be positively associated with math performance.
- Math anxiety will be negatively associated with math performance.
- Working memory will mediate the relationship between both types of vocabulary and math performance, such that better vocabulary knowledge enhances working memory, which in turn supports higher math performance.
- Math anxiety (ENS) will mediate the relationship between both types of vocabulary and math performance, such that better vocabulary knowledge reduces anxiety, which in turn improves performance.
- The indirect effects of math-specific vocabulary on math performance will be stronger than those of general vocabulary, due to its greater relevance for mathematical content and procedures.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Participants
2.2. Measures and Instruments
2.2.1. Semantic Fluency
2.2.2. Auditory Lexical Decision
2.2.3. Math Performance
2.2.4. Spatial Working Memory
2.2.5. Numerical Working Memory
2.2.6. Math Anxiety
2.3. Procedure
2.4. Analyses
3. Results
4. Discussion
4.1. What Is the Relationship Between Vocabulary (General and Math-Specific) Math Anxiety, and Math Performance in Second-Grade Students?
4.2. Do Working Memory and Math Anxiety Mediate the Relationship Between Vocabulary and Math Performance?
4.3. Are the Indirect Effects Stronger for Math-Specific Vocabulary than for General Vocabulary?
4.4. Limitations and Directions for Future Research
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A. Measurement Model Details
Latent Variable | Number of Indicators | Indicators (Standardized Loadings) | Mean Standardized Loading | McDonald’s Omega (ω) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Working Memory (WM) | 3 | WM_forward (0.481), WM_backward (0.661), WM_numerical (0.547) | 0.563 | 0.615 |
Math Performance (MaP) | 3 | NF (0.786), Calculation (0.858), Concepts (0.818) | 0.821 | 0.861 |
General Vocabulary (GVoc) | 2 | GVoc1_fluency (0.589), GVoc2_fluency (0.712) | 0.651 | 0.724 |
Explicit Numerical Situations (ENS) | 9 | MA1 (0.428), MA3 (0.711), MA4 (0.499), MA5 (0.516), MA7 (0.507), MA9 (0.690), MA13 (0.647), MA14 (0.660), MA16 (0.748) | 0.601 | 0.834 |
General Classroom Situations (GCS) | 7 | MA2 (0.622), MA6 (0.595), MA8 (0.560), MA10 (0.642), MA11 (0.634), MA12 (0.552), MA15 (0.602) | 0.601 | 0.797 |
Appendix B. Inter-Indicator Correlations
WMf | WMb | WMn | NF | Calc | Conc | GV1 | GV2 | MA1 | MA3 | MA4 | MA5 | MA7 | MA9 | MA13 | MA14 | MA16 | MA2 | MA6 | MA8 | MA10 | MA11 | MA12 | MA15 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WM_f | 1 | 0.46 | 0.24 | 0.21 | 0.23 | 0.19 | 0 | 0.1 | 0 | −0.16 | −0.15 | 0.02 | −0.03 | −0.17 | −0.06 | −0.11 | −0.16 | −0.03 | −0.05 | −0.03 | −0.15 | −0.1 | −0.03 | −0.15 |
WM_b | 0.46 | 1 | 0.29 | 0.34 | 0.33 | 0.28 | 0.13 | 0.15 | −0.15 | −0.22 | −0.07 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.26 | −0.15 | −0.22 | −0.21 | −0.11 | −0.14 | −0.06 | −0.1 | −0.06 | −0.01 | −0.08 |
WM_n | 0.24 | 0.29 | 1 | 0.27 | 0.31 | 0.29 | 0.11 | 0.15 | −0.1 | −0.13 | −0.09 | 0 | −0.05 | −0.16 | −0.12 | −0.16 | −0.18 | −0.1 | −0.15 | −0.13 | −0.11 | −0.06 | −0.06 | −0.07 |
NF | 0.21 | 0.34 | 0.27 | 1 | 0.68 | 0.64 | 0.16 | 0.18 | −0.19 | −0.27 | −0.12 | −0.27 | −0.12 | −0.31 | −0.27 | −0.23 | −0.33 | −0.19 | −0.06 | −0.16 | −0.32 | −0.14 | −0.12 | −0.23 |
Calc | 0.23 | 0.33 | 0.31 | 0.68 | 1 | 0.69 | 0.22 | 0.2 | −0.23 | −0.34 | −0.2 | −0.15 | −0.14 | −0.33 | −0.31 | −0.27 | −0.36 | −0.21 | −0.14 | −0.17 | −0.31 | −0.17 | −0.19 | −0.23 |
Conc | 0.19 | 0.28 | 0.29 | 0.64 | 0.69 | 1 | 0.21 | 0.21 | −0.16 | −0.33 | −0.13 | −0.15 | −0.13 | −0.33 | −0.26 | −0.16 | −0.33 | −0.15 | −0.09 | −0.16 | −0.2 | −0.18 | −0.17 | −0.19 |
GV1 | 0 | 0.13 | 0.11 | 0.16 | 0.22 | 0.21 | 1 | 0.57 | −0.07 | −0.16 | −0.15 | 0.05 | −0.02 | −0.24 | −0.05 | −0.06 | −0.17 | −0.04 | −0.07 | −0.07 | −0.04 | −0.1 | −0.04 | −0.13 |
GV2 | 0.1 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.18 | 0.2 | 0.21 | 0.57 | 1 | −0.04 | −0.18 | −0.11 | 0.03 | −0.15 | −0.21 | −0.11 | −0.15 | −0.14 | 0 | −0.11 | −0.1 | −0.02 | −0.15 | −0.02 | −0.11 |
MA1 | 0 | −0.15 | −0.1 | −0.19 | −0.23 | −0.16 | −0.07 | −0.04 | 1 | 0.35 | 0.12 | 0.25 | 0.29 | 0.21 | 0.39 | 0.23 | 0.31 | 0.13 | 0.22 | 0.22 | 0.26 | 0.26 | 0.16 | 0.11 |
MA3 | −0.16 | −0.22 | −0.13 | −0.27 | −0.34 | −0.33 | −0.16 | −0.18 | 0.35 | 1 | 0.29 | 0.39 | 0.41 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 0.45 | 0.48 | 0.32 | 0.27 | 0.4 | 0.38 | 0.35 | 0.32 | 0.39 |
MA4 | −0.15 | −0.07 | −0.09 | −0.12 | −0.2 | −0.13 | −0.15 | −0.11 | 0.12 | 0.29 | 1 | 0.18 | 0.23 | 0.36 | 0.24 | 0.48 | 0.29 | 0.3 | 0.36 | 0.21 | 0.27 | 0.28 | 0.34 | 0.34 |
MA5 | 0.02 | −0.07 | 0 | −0.27 | −0.15 | −0.15 | 0.05 | 0.03 | 0.25 | 0.39 | 0.18 | 1 | 0.18 | 0.38 | 0.35 | 0.32 | 0.37 | 0.31 | 0.14 | 0.31 | 0.31 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.35 |
MA7 | −0.03 | −0.05 | −0.05 | −0.12 | −0.14 | −0.13 | −0.02 | −0.15 | 0.29 | 0.41 | 0.23 | 0.18 | 1 | 0.3 | 0.38 | 0.41 | 0.33 | 0.26 | 0.23 | 0.24 | 0.29 | 0.38 | 0.19 | 0.12 |
MA9 | −0.17 | −0.26 | −0.16 | −0.31 | −0.33 | −0.33 | −0.24 | −0.21 | 0.21 | 0.44 | 0.36 | 0.38 | 0.3 | 1 | 0.44 | 0.45 | 0.59 | 0.35 | 0.31 | 0.26 | 0.35 | 0.36 | 0.28 | 0.32 |
MA13 | −0.06 | −0.15 | −0.12 | −0.27 | −0.31 | −0.26 | −0.05 | −0.11 | 0.39 | 0.49 | 0.24 | 0.35 | 0.38 | 0.44 | 1 | 0.37 | 0.47 | 0.35 | 0.3 | 0.34 | 0.32 | 0.34 | 0.36 | 0.27 |
MA14 | −0.11 | −0.22 | −0.16 | −0.23 | −0.27 | −0.16 | −0.06 | −0.15 | 0.23 | 0.45 | 0.48 | 0.32 | 0.41 | 0.45 | 0.37 | 1 | 0.47 | 0.39 | 0.38 | 0.42 | 0.37 | 0.38 | 0.27 | 0.32 |
MA16 | −0.16 | −0.21 | −0.18 | −0.33 | −0.36 | −0.33 | −0.17 | −0.14 | 0.31 | 0.48 | 0.29 | 0.37 | 0.33 | 0.59 | 0.47 | 0.47 | 1 | 0.35 | 0.36 | 0.34 | 0.45 | 0.41 | 0.27 | 0.42 |
MA2 | −0.03 | −0.11 | −0.1 | −0.19 | −0.21 | −0.15 | −0.04 | 0 | 0.13 | 0.32 | 0.3 | 0.31 | 0.26 | 0.35 | 0.35 | 0.39 | 0.35 | 1 | 0.4 | 0.34 | 0.47 | 0.35 | 0.4 | 0.35 |
MA6 | −0.05 | −0.14 | −0.15 | −0.06 | −0.14 | −0.09 | −0.07 | −0.11 | 0.22 | 0.27 | 0.36 | 0.14 | 0.23 | 0.31 | 0.3 | 0.38 | 0.36 | 0.4 | 1 | 0.42 | 0.36 | 0.46 | 0.34 | 0.4 |
MA8 | −0.03 | −0.06 | −0.13 | −0.16 | −0.17 | −0.16 | −0.07 | −0.1 | 0.22 | 0.4 | 0.21 | 0.31 | 0.24 | 0.26 | 0.34 | 0.42 | 0.34 | 0.34 | 0.42 | 1 | 0.18 | 0.25 | 0.28 | 0.36 |
MA10 | −0.15 | −0.1 | −0.11 | −0.32 | −0.31 | −0.2 | −0.04 | −0.02 | 0.26 | 0.38 | 0.27 | 0.31 | 0.29 | 0.35 | 0.32 | 0.37 | 0.45 | 0.47 | 0.36 | 0.18 | 1 | 0.42 | 0.39 | 0.34 |
MA11 | −0.1 | −0.06 | −0.06 | −0.14 | −0.17 | −0.18 | −0.1 | −0.15 | 0.26 | 0.35 | 0.28 | 0.25 | 0.38 | 0.36 | 0.34 | 0.38 | 0.41 | 0.35 | 0.46 | 0.25 | 0.42 | 1 | 0.35 | 0.32 |
MA12 | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.06 | −0.12 | −0.19 | −0.17 | −0.04 | −0.02 | 0.16 | 0.32 | 0.34 | 0.25 | 0.19 | 0.28 | 0.36 | 0.27 | 0.27 | 0.4 | 0.34 | 0.28 | 0.39 | 0.35 | 1 | 0.33 |
MA15 | −0.15 | −0.08 | −0.07 | −0.23 | −0.23 | −0.19 | −0.13 | −0.11 | 0.11 | 0.39 | 0.34 | 0.35 | 0.12 | 0.32 | 0.27 | 0.32 | 0.42 | 0.35 | 0.4 | 0.36 | 0.34 | 0.32 | 0.33 | 1 |
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Measured Variable | M | SD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. General Vocabulary (GVoc) | 12.18 | 3.64 | — | ||||
2. Math Vocabulary (MVoc) | 30.51 | 4.45 | .19 *** | — | |||
3. Working Memory (WM) | 3.01 | 1.23 | .16 ** | .26 *** | — | ||
4. Math Anxiety (MA) | 2.35 | 0.68 | –.14 ** | –.19 *** | –.17 *** | — | |
5. Math Performance (MaP) | 2.33 | 1.62 | .25 *** | .28 *** | .41 *** | –.27 *** | — |
Predictor | Outcome | Direct Effect β | Indirect Effect β | Total Effect β | p |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
General Vocabulary | Math Performance | –.019 | .314 | .295 | <.001 |
Math Vocabulary | Math Performance | .027 | .274 | .301 | <.001 |
Working Memory | Math Performance | .495 | — | — | <.001 |
ENS | Math Performance | –.583 | — | — | <.001 |
GCS | Math Performance | .187 | — | — | .167 |
General Vocabulary | Working Memory | .361 | — | — | .002 |
Math Vocabulary | Working Memory | .369 | — | — | <.001 |
General Vocabulary | ENS | –.277 | — | — | <.001 |
Math Vocabulary | ENS | –.226 | — | — | <.001 |
General Vocabulary | GCS | –.138 | — | — | .044 |
Math Vocabulary | GCS | –.213 | — | — | <.001 |
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Ferreira, R.A.; Rodríguez, C.; Guzmán, B.; Sepúlveda, F.; Peake, C. The Interplay of Vocabulary, Working Memory, and Math Anxiety in Predicting Early Math Performance. J. Intell. 2025, 13, 125. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13100125
Ferreira RA, Rodríguez C, Guzmán B, Sepúlveda F, Peake C. The Interplay of Vocabulary, Working Memory, and Math Anxiety in Predicting Early Math Performance. Journal of Intelligence. 2025; 13(10):125. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13100125
Chicago/Turabian StyleFerreira, Roberto A., Cristina Rodríguez, Bárbara Guzmán, Felipe Sepúlveda, and Christian Peake. 2025. "The Interplay of Vocabulary, Working Memory, and Math Anxiety in Predicting Early Math Performance" Journal of Intelligence 13, no. 10: 125. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13100125
APA StyleFerreira, R. A., Rodríguez, C., Guzmán, B., Sepúlveda, F., & Peake, C. (2025). The Interplay of Vocabulary, Working Memory, and Math Anxiety in Predicting Early Math Performance. Journal of Intelligence, 13(10), 125. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13100125