Pengaruh Strategi Penguatan Pendidikan Karakter terhadap Kecemasan Matematika (Math Anxiety) Siswa

Abstract

A new challenge in the world of education is the increasing psychological stress of students in facing subjects considered difficult such as mathematics. One emerging phenomenon is the high level of math anxiety, which negatively impacts learning performance. On the other hand, strong character education is believed to strengthen students' mental and emotional resilience. This study aims to examine the effect of character education strengthening strategies on the level of math anxiety of junior high school students in the era of disruption. The research method used is quantitative with a correlational survey approach. Data were collected using two standardized instruments: a character strengthening scale and a math anxiety scale, then analyzed with a simple linear regression test using SPSS software. The results of the analysis indicate a significant effect between strengthening character education on reducing students' math anxiety. Characters such as self-confidence, responsibility, and perseverance have been shown to be psychological protectors in dealing with academic pressure. This study provides a theoretical contribution to the development of character-based educational psychology interventions and serves as a practical reference in designing holistic and responsive curricula and learning strategies to the challenges of the era of disruption.