Yixuan Li

My mphil study examines the ontogeny of math anxiety in early childhood, with a specific interest in its cognitive antecedents and consequential impacts on academic development. My MPhil thesis employs a longitudinal, multi-wave design to investigate the dynamic, reciprocal relationships between emerging executive functions (particularly working memory and inhibitory control) and the onset of mathematics-specific anxiety.

A central aim of my work is to test competing theoretical models of this relationship, including the Bidirectional Model—which posits a negative feedback cycle between anxiety and performance—and the Developmental Deficit Model, which suggests core cognitive deficits are primary risk factors. This research involves the psychometric validation of a math anxiety scale for a novel population (Chinese kindergarteners) and utilizes advanced statistical techniques, such as Cross-Lagged Panel Modeling (CLPM), to elucidate causal pathways.

The ultimate objective of this research is to generate a refined theoretical framework for the early emergence of academic anxiety and to identify critical windows and targets for evidence-based intervention strategies.