Chemophobia in the college classroom: Extent, sources, and student characteristics

The purpose of this project was to provide a better understanding of chemophobia (chemistry anxiety) at the college level by determining: (a) the extent of chemophobia in the college classroom; (b) the factors that contribute to college students' anxieties about learning chemistry and handling chemicals; and (c) the characteristics of college students who have anxieties about learning chemistry and handling chemicals. A three factor, 36-item Derived Chemistry Anxiety Rating Scale (DCARS), with Cronbach's alpha.94, was used to measure the anxiety stimulated by learning chemistry, being evaluated in chemistry, and by handling chemicals. A questionnaire containing DCARS was administered to 48 non-science majors and 16 science majors who were taking an introductory, general chemistry course in the summer. Eight interviews were conducted. Chemophobia was found to exist in the college classroom at a level of anxiety between a little bit and moderately anxious. Highest anxiety was associated with chemistry-evaluation; lowest anxiety was associated with learning chemistry. Factors that strongly contributed to students' anxieties about learning chemistry were: (a) reading chemical formulas; (b) interpreting chemical equations; (c) reading and interpreting graphs or charts that show the results of a chemistry experiment; and (d) math. Taking the final chemistry exam, being given a "pop" chemistry quiz, and taking a chemistry quiz were major factors that contributed to students' anxieties about chemistry-evaluation. Factors that strongly contributed to students' anxieties about handling chemicals were: (a) getting chemicals on hands during an experiment; (b) spilling a chemical; and (c) working with unknown chemicals. No significant differences were found between the anxiety levels of males and females for Learning-Chemistry Anxiety and Handling-Chemicals Anxiety. Females had significantly higher Chemistry-Evaluation Anxiety than males. No significant differences in anxiety levels were found between the following: (a) non-science majors and science majors; (b) students with low math experience and students with high math experience; or (c) students with low chemistry experience and students with high chemistry experience.