A COSMIN-based meta-analysis on the Psychometric Properties of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale for Children and Adolescents Ana M. Greco, Belén González-Gómez, Cristina Cañete-Massé Child Indicators Research, 2025 Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965) is the most widely used measure of self-esteem for research purposes, especially when targeting children and young people. In this study, we synthesized the findings and assessed the quality of 39 studies that reported the psychometric properties of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale in participants under 21 years old using the COSMIN methodology. Most studies were found to be doubtful in terms of content or criterion validity, measurement error, reliability, and responsiveness. Almost all included studies provided sufficient evidence of internal consistency, structural validity and hypothesis testing. The overall Cronbach’s alpha estimate obtained through three level meta-analytic models was 0.79 (k = 15, 95% CI = 0.75-0.83), McDonald’s omega was 0.78 (k = 6, 95% CI = 0.77-0.78) and the Composite Reliability estimate was 0.85 (k = 3, 95% CI = 0.84-0.86). Self-esteem was significantly and negatively correlated with violence, mental health problems and positively correlated with Life satisfaction, self-perceptions and social relationships in participants between 6 and 21 years old.
Sudden transition to online learning: Exploring the relationships among measures of student experience Roser Bono, María Isabel Núñez-Peña, Carlos Campos-Rodríguez, Belén González-Gómez, Vicenç Quera International Journal of Educational Research Open, 2024 Online learning anxiety might be related to how university students perceived their learning and performance during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in course modules with mathematical content, math anxiety may also have come into play. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between these types of anxiety, as well as to explore other possible factors associated with students’ experience of sudden transition to online learning in a module with high mathematical content. Participants were 125 psychology undergraduates enrolled in a Research Design module. The main results showed that students reporting greater online learning anxiety found online materials less useful and suffered from greater math anxiety; their self-perceived performance was also worse. In the year following lockdown, online learning anxiety was lower and the perceived usefulness of online material was greater than during lockdown. Finally, analysis of the association between psychological state in the use of e-learning tools during COVID-19 and online learning anxiety revealed that online learning readiness played a mediating role in this relationship. The paper concludes with a series of recommendations regarding how universities might better prepare for future unforeseen disruptions to face-to-face teaching. In particular, there is a need to improve students’ readiness for online learning and to ensure that online materials are perceived as useful.
Math anxiety and attention: Biased orienting to math symbols or less efficient attentional control? Belén González-Gómez, Àngels Colomé, María Isabel Núñez-Peña Current Psychology, 2024 Previous research about the existence of an attentional bias for math in highly math-anxious (HMA) individuals shows inconsistent results, and methodologies used so far cannot distinguish the various components of attentional bias. Here we adapted Grafton and MacLeod (2014)’s methodology to assess biases linked to math anxiety in engagement and disengagement when task-irrelevant math and neutral symbols are briefly presented. Twenty-one HMA and 21 low math-anxious individuals were asked to perform the attentional task just after solving an arithmetic task expected to generate group differences in state anxiety. Considering attentional control theory, state anxiety will likely increase allocation of attention to task-irrelevant stimuli. Therefore, individual differences in efficiency responding to this task, which despite being simple and non-mathematical is interrupted by task-irrelevant stimuli, were also analyzed to study whether HMA individuals show reduced attentional control. Our results provide evidence against the presence of an attentional bias towards/against mathematical symbols in visuospatial orienting of the HMA population, neither in the form of an engagement bias nor as a disengagement bias. Rather, HMA individuals were slower and could not take advantage of a longer interval to overcome distraction, which suggest less efficient attentional control, at least when they experience higher state anxiety. Therefore, it is unlikely that an attentional bias for math may originate or aggravate math anxiety. However, reduced attentional control may underlie the less efficient processing on math tasks usually shown by HMA individuals, so research on attention in math anxiety should keep focusing on HMA’s difficulties in executive control.
Proactive control of attention in math-anxious individuals Àngels Colomé, María Isabel Núñez-Peña, Belén González-Gómez Psychological Research, 2023 Attentional control deficit has been proposed as one of the reasons for lower arithmetical performance in people with high math anxiety (HMA). Previous research trying to discern whether this deficit concerned proactive or reactive use of attentional control has been criticised because the methodologies used were mostly suited to investigating reactive control only. The aim of this study was to investigate proactive control in HMA individuals in a classical Stroop task. Twenty HMA and 20 low math-anxious individuals (LMA) named the ink colour in which congruent and incongruent colour words as well as X strings (neutral condition) were presented. The HMA group was slower than their LMA peers in the congruent and incongruent conditions only. Furthermore, HMA individuals showed a higher interference effect. Last, only LMA participants showed a facilitatory effect of the congruent condition. These results are interpreted as indicating the presence in the HMA individuals of a task conflict between the task to perform (ink naming) and an irrelevant task triggered by the stimuli (word reading). Task conflict is evident only when proactive control, responsible for maintaining the current goals, is too weak to solve the competition between tasks. Therefore, this study confirms that HMA individuals find it difficult to implement attention proactively.
Math anxiety and the shifting function: An event-related potential study of arithmetic task switching Belén González‐Gómez, M. Isabel Núñez‐Peña, Àngels Colomé European Journal of Neuroscience, 2023 Why is math anxiety usually related to less efficient math processing? According to attentional control theory, anxiety leads to reduced attentional control, which often entails a greater investment of resources (e.g., more time or effort) to carry out a cognitive task. The executive functions mainly affected by anxiety are inhibition and shifting. Previous studies suggest that math anxiety may impair the inhibitory function. In the present study, the relationship between math anxiety and shifting efficiency when switching between two-digit additions and subtractions was examined. Twenty highly math-anxious and 20 low math-anxious individuals participated in an event-related potential (ERP) transition-cueing experiment. Math anxiety was expected to delay the shifting process, leading to a larger switch cost in response time and no centroparietal cue-locked switch-specific positivity registered in the electroencephalogram during the cue-target interval. Highly math-anxious individuals showed a larger switch cost than their low math-anxious peers. Asymmetrical switch effects between operations in response time were found in both groups, which might be due to larger sequential difficulty effects after subtractions than after additions. The cue-locked switch-specific positivity was present only in the low math-anxious group. The present results suggest that highly math-anxious individuals take longer to shift task sets. Additionally, the highly math-anxious group showed a more positive frontal P2 after the cue that announced a switch to subtraction, probably indicating stronger attentional capture by this cue, because the most threatening condition is anticipated. Taken together, these data suggest that math anxiety also impairs attentional control when switching between arithmetic tasks.
The Spatial-Numerical Association of Response Codes (SNARC) effect in highly math-anxious individuals: An ERP study M.I. Núñez-Peña, À. Colomé, B. González-Gómez Biological Psychology, 2021 The Spatial-Numerical Association of Response Codes (SNARC) effect was examined in highly (HMA) and low math-anxious (LMA) individuals performing a number comparison in an ERP study. The SNARC effect consists of faster latencies when the response side is congruent with number location in the mental number line (MNL). Despite the stronger SNARC effect in the HMA group, their responses in incongruent trials were slower than in congruent trials only for the largest numerical magnitudes. Moreover, HMAs showed a less positive centroparietal P3b component in incongruent trials than in congruent ones, but only for the largest magnitudes. Since the SNARC effect arises during response selection and P3b positivity decreases with the difficulty of decision, this result suggests that HMA individuals might find it more difficult than LMAs to control the conflict between the automatically activated location of numbers in the MNL and the response side, especially in more cognitively demanding trials.
Spatial processing in a mental rotation task: Differences between high and low math-anxiety individuals M. Isabel Núñez-Peña, Belén González-Gómez, Àngels Colomé Biological Psychology, 2019 Previous studies suggested that highly math-anxious (HMA) individuals invest more attentional resources than their low math-anxious (LMA) peers in numerical tasks, and have worse spatial skills. We aimed to explore whether they also need to apply more resources in spatial tasks. In this study, HMA and LMA individuals saw normal or mirror-reversed letters in six orientations and made mirror-normal decisions. In both groups, response times and errors increased with angular deviation from upright and the ERP mental rotation effect was found. However, HMAs were slower to respond than their LMA counterparts. Interestingly, the HMA group showed a larger P3b in greater deviations for normal letters and in all mirrored letters. Since P3b amplitude reflects the attentional resources invested in the categorization of relevant stimuli, HMA individuals may need to devote more processing effort than their LMA peers when performing mental rotation. This finding is consistent with the Attentional Control Theory.
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
A COSMIN-based meta-analysis on the Psychometric Properties of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale for Children and Adolescents AM Greco, B González-Gómez, C Cañete-Massé Child Indicators Research , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Sudden transition to online learning: Exploring the relationships among measures of student experience R Bono, MI Núnez-Pena, C Campos-Rodríguez, B González-Gómez, ... International Journal of Educational Research Open 6, 100332 , 2024 2024 Citations: 16
Math anxiety and attention: Biased orienting to math symbols or less efficient attentional control? B González-Gómez, À Colomé, MI Núñez-Peña Current Psychology 43 (7), 6533-6548 , 2024 2024 Citations: 10
Sudden transition to online learning: Exploring the relationships among measures of student experience R Bono Cabré, MI Núņez Peņa, C Campos-Rodríguez, ... Elsevier , 2024 2024
Attentional selectivity and attentional control in highly math-anxious individuals B González Gómez Universitat de Barcelona , 2023 2023
Proactive control of attention in math-anxious individuals À Colomé, MI Núñez-Peña, B González-Gómez Psychological Research 87 (5), 1484-1490 , 2023 2023 Citations: 12
Math anxiety and the shifting function: an event‐related potential study of arithmetic task switching B González‐Gómez, MI Núñez‐Peña, À Colomé European Journal of Neuroscience 57 (11), 1848-1869 , 2023 2023 Citations: 19
Evaluación del aprendizaje autónomo mediante el campus virtual en diseños de investigación RB Cabré, MIN Peña, V Quera, CC Rodríguez, BG Gómez Revista del CIDUI: Congrés Internacional de Docència Universitària i … , 2023 2023
EVALUACIÓN DEL APRENDIZAJE AUTÓNOMO MEDIANTE EL CAMPUS VIRTUAL EN DISEÑOS DE INVESTIGACIÓN R Bono, MI Núñez-Peña, V Quera, C Campos-Rodríguez, ... Revista del Congrés Internacional de Docència Universitària i Innovació (CIDUI) , 2023 2023 Citations: 1
La ansiedad en tiempos de pandemia en relación con la enseñanza online B González-Gómez, C Campos-Rodríguez, MI Núñez-Peña, ... II Conferencia Internacional de Investigación en Educación Retos de la … , 2021 2021 Citations: 1
Aprendizaje durante la COVID-19: Un reto en un curso con contenido estadístico RB Cabré, MIN Peña, CC Rodríguez, BG Gómez, VQ Jordana CIVINEDU 2021, 604 , 2021 2021
The Spatial-Numerical Association of Response Codes (SNARC) effect in highly math-anxious individuals: An ERP study MI Núñez-Peña, À Colomé, B González-Gómez Biological Psychology 161, 108062 , 2021 2021 Citations: 17
La ansiedad en tiempos de pandemia en relación con la enseñanza online BG Gómez, CC Rodríguez, MIN Peña, V Quera, RB Cabré Retos de la educación post-pandemia: Libro de actas: II Conferencia … , 2021 2021
¡Los números me dan vueltas! Ansiedad matemática y habilidades espaciales C Campos-Rodríguez, MI Núñez Peña, B González-Gómez, À Colomé Ciencia Cognitiva, 2020, vol. 14, num. 2, p. 49-52 , 2020 2020
Spatial processing in a mental rotation task: Differences between high and low math-anxiety individuals MI Núñez-Peña, B Gonzalez-Gomez, A Colome Biological Psychology 146, 107727 , 2019 2019 Citations: 14
Spatial processing in highly math-anxious individuals: an event-related brain potential study MI Núñez-Peña, B González-Gómez, A Colomé International Journal of Psychophysiology 131, S134-S135 , 2018 2018
¿ Dividir? No, gracias. El miedo a los números y el bajo rendimiento en matemáticas MI Núñez-Peña Ciencia Cognitiva , 2018 2018 Citations: 14
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Math anxiety and the shifting function: an event‐related potential study of arithmetic task switching B González‐Gómez, MI Núñez‐Peña, À Colomé European Journal of Neuroscience 57 (11), 1848-1869 , 2023 2023 Citations: 19
The Spatial-Numerical Association of Response Codes (SNARC) effect in highly math-anxious individuals: An ERP study MI Núñez-Peña, À Colomé, B González-Gómez Biological Psychology 161, 108062 , 2021 2021 Citations: 17
Sudden transition to online learning: Exploring the relationships among measures of student experience R Bono, MI Núnez-Pena, C Campos-Rodríguez, B González-Gómez, ... International Journal of Educational Research Open 6, 100332 , 2024 2024 Citations: 16
Spatial processing in a mental rotation task: Differences between high and low math-anxiety individuals MI Núñez-Peña, B Gonzalez-Gomez, A Colome Biological Psychology 146, 107727 , 2019 2019 Citations: 14
¿ Dividir? No, gracias. El miedo a los números y el bajo rendimiento en matemáticas MI Núñez-Peña Ciencia Cognitiva , 2018 2018 Citations: 14
Proactive control of attention in math-anxious individuals À Colomé, MI Núñez-Peña, B González-Gómez Psychological Research 87 (5), 1484-1490 , 2023 2023 Citations: 12
Math anxiety and attention: Biased orienting to math symbols or less efficient attentional control? B González-Gómez, À Colomé, MI Núñez-Peña Current Psychology 43 (7), 6533-6548 , 2024 2024 Citations: 10
A COSMIN-based meta-analysis on the Psychometric Properties of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale for Children and Adolescents AM Greco, B González-Gómez, C Cañete-Massé Child Indicators Research , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
EVALUACIÓN DEL APRENDIZAJE AUTÓNOMO MEDIANTE EL CAMPUS VIRTUAL EN DISEÑOS DE INVESTIGACIÓN R Bono, MI Núñez-Peña, V Quera, C Campos-Rodríguez, ... Revista del Congrés Internacional de Docència Universitària i Innovació (CIDUI) , 2023 2023 Citations: 1
La ansiedad en tiempos de pandemia en relación con la enseñanza online B González-Gómez, C Campos-Rodríguez, MI Núñez-Peña, ... II Conferencia Internacional de Investigación en Educación Retos de la … , 2021 2021 Citations: 1
Sudden transition to online learning: Exploring the relationships among measures of student experience R Bono Cabré, MI Núņez Peņa, C Campos-Rodríguez, ... Elsevier , 2024 2024
Attentional selectivity and attentional control in highly math-anxious individuals B González Gómez Universitat de Barcelona , 2023 2023
Evaluación del aprendizaje autónomo mediante el campus virtual en diseños de investigación RB Cabré, MIN Peña, V Quera, CC Rodríguez, BG Gómez Revista del CIDUI: Congrés Internacional de Docència Universitària i … , 2023 2023
Aprendizaje durante la COVID-19: Un reto en un curso con contenido estadístico RB Cabré, MIN Peña, CC Rodríguez, BG Gómez, VQ Jordana CIVINEDU 2021, 604 , 2021 2021
La ansiedad en tiempos de pandemia en relación con la enseñanza online BG Gómez, CC Rodríguez, MIN Peña, V Quera, RB Cabré Retos de la educación post-pandemia: Libro de actas: II Conferencia … , 2021 2021
¡Los números me dan vueltas! Ansiedad matemática y habilidades espaciales C Campos-Rodríguez, MI Núñez Peña, B González-Gómez, À Colomé Ciencia Cognitiva, 2020, vol. 14, num. 2, p. 49-52 , 2020 2020
Spatial processing in highly math-anxious individuals: an event-related brain potential study MI Núñez-Peña, B González-Gómez, A Colomé International Journal of Psychophysiology 131, S134-S135 , 2018 2018
