Fig. 2. Mediation models showing the extent to which predictive effects of Math Anxiety on STEM outcomes can be accounted for by Math Ability, and vice versa.

Figure 2 shows mediation models that assess the extent to which Math Anxiety and Math Ability can explain each other’s associations with % STEM Courses and STEM Grades. The following variables were controlled for in all models: Trait Anxiety, Verbal Working Memory, Gender, non-STEM Grades, and Semesters Absent. In models where % STEM Courses was the dependent variable (a, c), STEM Grades was included as an additional covariate. Likewise, in models where STEM Grades was the dependent variable (b, d), % STEM Courses was included as an additional covariate. ‘95% CI’ refers to bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals.