Parental Mathematics Anxiety Predicts Children’s Cardinal Number Word and Numeral Knowledge at Preschool Entry

We explored the relation between the quantitative competencies and executive functions of 130 children (65 boys) at preschool entry (M = 3.83 years) and their parents’ (M = 35.0 years) cognitive abilities, academic achievement, mathematics attitudes, beliefs, and anxiety, and home numeracy activities. Children’s quantitative competencies were defined by simple (counting, enumeration, numeral recognition) and complex (spontaneous focus on number, cardinal knowledge) skills and knowledge. Bayesian and standard regressions indicated that higher parental reading achievement was associated better simple quantitative competencies, whereas higher parental math anxiety was associated with lower complex competencies, especially for cardinal knowledge of number words and numerals. Core models revealed that children with strong executive functions and parents with low math anxiety had substantive advantages over their peers in cardinal knowledge at preschool entry. High parental math anxiety clustered with lower parental math achievement, less confidence in their math competencies, and an avoidance of numerical information, but not with the reported frequency of home numeracy activities or positive math attitudes. Thus, the mechanism through which parents’ math anxiety might influence young children’s emerging cardinal knowledge is unclear.