Abstract:The purpose of this study was to establish the reliability and validity of a Malay version of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitudes Scales (MAS) in a Malaysian context. A Malay version of the Fennema-Sherman MAS was administered to 2380 secondary four students from 29 secondary schools in Malaysia. The reliabilities for all nine scales were sufficient, and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the nine scales constitute nine separate factors rather than six. As earlier studies have relied on Exploratory Factor Analyses, the use of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) in this study provided additional support to the factorial validity of the MAS. The construct validity of the scales was further supported by examining hypothesized relationships among the variables.

Key words: Mathematics anxiety; Attitudes toward mathematics; Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitudes Scales