Mathematics Anxiety Research Articles

Brain Imaging in Mathematics Education: An Analysis of KCI Studies

This study reviews the application of EEG, fMRI, and fNIRS in mathematics education research in South Korea, analyzing 16 significant papers from the last 25 years. The results demonstrate a significant relationship between brainwave patterns and various aspects of mathematical learning. EEG studies highlighted the role of different brainwaves in math anxiety, computation, and problem-solving. fMRI research revealed the importance of whole brain activation in spatial and numerical processing. Studies using fNIRS emphasized the prefrontal cortex's involvement in mathematical tasks, particularly in spatial and computational tasks. Conclusions highlight the need for math learning programs that enhance brain connectivity and consider problem difficulty and learner preferences. The study advocates for more research on the prefrontal cortex, particularly in relation to math anxiety, and emphasizes the importance of brain imaging techniques in understanding cognitive processes in math education, suggesting an integrated approach in future research.

Challenges Toward Learning Mathematics

Mathematics is the science of all sciences and the art of all arts. Mathematicians had been concerned with everyday problems. However, today’s students are uninterested in learning mathematics. My research is based on narrative inquiry and the interpritivism philosophy paradigm. The main objective of this research is to identify students’ challenges to learning mathematics. I gathered information from eight participants from two schools, one public and one private. To achieve the research objective, in-depth interviews were conducted with research participants. I had narrated views about perception and challenges towards learning mathematics from my participants. After analysis and interpretation of data, challenges towards learning mathematics were mathematic anxiety, lack of interest, negative perceptions, lack of students labor, present practice of teaching and unqualified and nonprofessional teachers, traditional teaching methods with rote learning, lack of parents awareness, low socio-economic status of parents, low self-efficacy, lack of motivation and counseling, low self-efficacy of students, unpractical curriculum and courses, poor school administration and physical facilities, math myth. Public school students and non-optional mathematics students had faced more challenges than private school students and optional mathematic students.

Transformative approaches and challenges in 21st century mathematics education: A comprehensive review

This article examines the challenges and transformative approaches in 21st century mathematics education. The article examines the transition from conventional lecture-based teaching methods to more interactive, learner-focused strategies, with an emphasis on technology integration, mathematical literacy development, critical thinking, and tackling obstacles including math anxiety and gender inequalities. The article delves into innovative pedagogical strategies like flipped classrooms, gamification, and blended learning, highlighting their effectiveness in enhancing student engagement and understanding. It also underscores the importance of teacher training, parental involvement, and targeted interventions in creating an inclusive and empowering the mathematics classroom. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for educators to stay abreast of these promising and effective teaching strategies as education continues to evolve with technological advancements. The arguments put forth in this article are substantiated by recent research and advancements in the field of mathematics education.

Исследование парадоксов в развитии математического мышления: культурно-историческая перспектива

<p>Primary school teachers are the educators responsible for introducing children into the world of mathematics. In the process of learning mathematics, children may experience negative emotions and develop negative attitudes or mathematics anxiety. Some authors approach these issues by focusing on primary teachers’ mathematics anxiety or proficiency in mathematics. In this article, we explore whether and how certain social and educational practices shape or not the development of mathematical thinking in prospective primary teachers, from a cultural-historical perspective. The study’s sample consists of twelve prospective primary teachers in their last year of studies. The participants were interviewed about their experience with mathematics throughout their educational years. By examining and contrasting the different developmental trajectories of the participants, we identified their “imprisonment” in situational thinking and some of the paradoxes that characterise their development. Adopting a historical perspective in analysing participants’ trajectories was crucial in uncovering the paradoxical nature of the development of mathematical thinking. We conclude by highlighting the socially mediated nature of mathematics and the obstacles posed by the competitive and exam-driven nature of educational practices</p>

The causal role of numerical and non-numerical order processing abilities in the early development of mathematics skills: Evidence from an intervention study

Understanding the basis of mathematical development is essential for supporting mathematics learning and to develop efficient interventions for remediating early problems. In the past decade, evidence has accumulated in support of the importance of ordering skills (i.e., tasks that tap into children's ability to recall the order of items or to judge the correctness of the order of items) in predicting early mathematics performance. Nevertheless, so far these studies have only provided correlational evidence, and intervention studies are lacking. The aim of the current study was to fill this gap by investigating the potential causal role of three types of ordering abilities (number ordering, daily event ordering and order working memory) in the development of mathematics skills during the first year of primary school. Children participated in six brief training sessions over a three-week period, and their mathematics skills and mathematics anxiety were measured before and after the training. In addition to the three training conditions, an active control group was also involved, with children completing reading comprehension exercises. Our findings showed that children's performance improved substantially on all ordering tasks as a result of training. Additionally, training in daily event ordering and number ordering has led to large increases in children's formal mathematics skills. Mathematics anxiety was not affected by the interventions. The current results provide initial evidence for the usefulness of order processing training in developing children's early mathematics skills. They also show that these results are not specific to the domain of numerical ordering.

Emotional processing of math-related words in people with math anxiety

ABSTRACT Background: Research exploring emotional responses to math-related words in individuals with math anxiety (MA) is scarce. Here, we examined MA participants’ subjective emotional processing of math-related cues within Lang’s bioinformational model of emotion to further understand the role of those cues in MA. Methods: In total, 41 high-MA and 32 low-MA undergraduates rated math-related words, along with neutral, pleasant, and unpleasant words, from the Affective Norms for English Words. The Self-Assessment Manikin was used to calculate valence, arousal, and dominance scores for each word. Results: The low-MA group rated math-related words as neutral on the three emotional scales, however, the high-MA group rated them lower and higher for valence and dominance than neutral and unpleasant words, respectively. Moreover, math-related words were rated as more and less activating than neutral and unpleasant words, respectively. The two groups significantly differed in scores on the three scales only for the math-related words. Conclusions: These results provide evidence that individuals with high MA show altered emotional processing of math-related words, experiencing them as moderately aversive and moderately activating. The findings emphasize that the altered emotional processing of words associated with math should be considered a symptom of MA.

How emotions are related to competence beliefs during mathematical problem solving: Differences between boys and girls

This study, grounded in Control Value Theory, aimed at increasing insight into how the emotions of enjoyment and anxiety shape students' situated math competence beliefs. Additionally, we investigated gender differences in these effects. An online survey including mathematical problems with corresponding competence belief ratings, and questionnaires regarding math-related emotions was filled out by 866 ninth-grade students. Ordinal mixed effects modelling revealed that after correcting for actual performance, emotions contributed (modestly) to students' competence beliefs: enjoyment was positively related to competence and anxiety had a negative relation. The strength of these relations was not affected by gender, but boys did report higher situated math competence beliefs than girls, despite a lack of gender difference in actual performance. Boys also showed higher math enjoyment and lower anxiety than girls. Our findings underline the need for interventions that improve girls' attitude towards mathematics and refute the math gender stereotype. Educational relevance and implications statementIn this study we investigated factors related to ninth-grade students' situated competence beliefs in math. We found that first and foremost actual performance predicted competence beliefs, showing students' metacognitive abilities. But we also found that the emotions of math enjoyment and math anxiety affected these beliefs, and that boys held higher competence beliefs than girls, while their math performance did not differ. This suggests that a situated intervention, aimed at showing girls at the item level how often their answers are correct and stimulating them to hold positive beliefs could boost their confidence in their STEM abilities, and possibly enhance their motivation to pursue a STEM career.

The Russian version of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale: psychometric properties in adolescents aged 13-16 years.

This study is the first to assess the internal consistency and factor validity of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS) in a sample of Russian adolescents as well as gender differences and gender invariance. The study included 4,218 adolescents in grades 7-9 (M = 14.23, SD = 0.92). Internal consistency, measured with Cronbach's alpha, was high. Analysis of the factor structure revealed the best correspondence of the second-order factor model, which included two scales (learning math anxiety and math evaluation anxiety) and the general scale of math anxiety. There were greater gender differences in the all three scales. Analysis of gender invariance demonstrated that the mathematics anxiety construct was uniform in boys and girls. These findings confirm the reliable psychometric properties and validity of the AMAS, enabling its use in adolescents.

Math anxiety and math motivation in online learning during stress: The role of fearful and avoidance temperament and implications for STEM education

Students’ math motivation can predict engagement, achievement, and career interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, it is not well understood how personality traits and math anxiety may be linked to different types or qualities of math motivation, particularly during high-stress times such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we examined how fearful or avoidant temperaments contribute to math anxiety and math motivations for college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ninety-six undergraduate students from a large public university were assessed on temperamental fear, math anxiety, and math motivation in an online math course. Results showed that higher levels of temperamental fear are directly linked to higher levels of math anxiety. In addition, temperamental fear is indirectly linked to higher levels of autonomous motivation (i.e., intrinsic motivation and identified regulation) and lower levels of controlled motivation (i.e., external regulation) through math anxiety. Results have implications for helping students at high risk for both high math anxiety and for low motivation to engage in math learning.

A neural network model of mathematics anxiety: The role of attention

Anxiety about performing numerical calculations is becoming an increasingly important issue. Termed mathematics anxiety, this condition negatively impacts performance in numerical tasks which can affect education outcomes and future employment. The disruption account proposes poor performance is due to anxiety disrupting limited attentional and inhibitory resources leaving fewer cognitive resources for the current task. This study provides the first neural network model of math anxiety. The model simulates performance in two commonly-used tasks related to math anxiety: the numerical Stroop and symbolic number comparison. Different model modifications were used to simulate high and low math-anxious conditions by modifying attentional processes and learning; these model modifications address different theories of math anxiety. The model simulations suggest that math anxiety is associated with reduced attention to numerical stimuli. These results are consistent with the disruption account and the attentional control theory where anxiety decreases goal-directed attention and increases stimulus-driven attention.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for mathematics anxiety among school adolescents: A randomised trial

This study investigated the effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on mathematics anxiety among students in Nigerian secondary schools. Eighty-six senior secondary class one students (aged 15–16 years) participated, comprising 43 students allocated to the experimental group and 43 students allocated to the control group. Mathematics anxiety was measured using the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS). The experimental group participated in a MBCT intervention, whereas the control group underwent conventional counselling. Both conditions lasted 6 weeks and included 12 sessions, 90 min each. Results revealed that MBCT reduced students’ mathematics anxiety from pre- to post-test, and the effect remained consistent at follow-up, compared to the control group. One of the recommendations was that teachers should be trained in applying MBCT to anxious mathematics students to remove the fear response of mathematics.

The link between math anxiety and math achievement: The role of afterschool learning

The present study tested the learning avoidance model by examining the degree to which learning avoidance in various afterschool settings mediated the negative association between math anxiety and math achievement. Participants consisted of 207 third to sixth graders. Using a path model, findings showed that students’ math anxiety was negatively associated with both standardized math achievement test scores and parent-reported math school grades. Additionally, higher math anxiety was associated with more negative homework behaviors and less frequent participation in math-related extracurricular activities. Finally, the association between math anxiety and math achievement was partially mediated by negative math homework behaviors and participation in math extracurricular activities. Effort in math exam preparation did not contribute to explaining the association between math anxiety and math achievement. Overall, these findings support the learning avoidance model and suggest that avoidance behaviors in everyday learning in the afterschool setting may contribute to explaining the undesired math achievement among highly math anxious students.

Measuring math anxiety through self-reports and physiological data

Math anxiety (MA) is an important affective factor that contributes to individuals’ math proficiency. While self-reports are commonly used to measure MA, a number of limitations are inherently connected to this measuring method. Physiological responses are considered a promising alternative approach, but research is scarce and the empirical evidence is scattered. Therefore, this paper aimed to (1) investigate whether different types of tasks (i.e., difficulty and topic) result in differences regarding self-reported anxiety and physiological measures, and (2) analyse whether physiological measures can account for differences in self-reported MA. We manipulated the difficulty level of a math and non-math task, so this study had a two-by-two experimental within-subject design. The participants were 44 undergraduate students. In terms of the first research aim, results revealed that the difficult math task elicited more self-reported anxiety compared to the easy math task and the difficult non-math task. However, these differences are barely detected by physiological measures. Regarding the second research aim, results showed that phasic galvanic skin responses and heart coherence ratio significantly predicted the self-reported MA. Our findings point to a possible contribution of using physiological measures to understand the construct of MA, meanwhile warning for a too optimistic use of this measurement method.

The neuroscience basis and educational interventions of mathematical cognitive impairment and anxiety: a systematic literature review

IntroductionMathematics is a fundamental subject with significant implications in education and neuroscience. Understanding the cognitive processes underlying mathematical cognition is crucial for enhancing educational practices. However, mathematical cognitive impairment and anxiety significantly hinder learning and application in this field. This systematic literature review aims to investigate the neuroscience basis and effective educational interventions for these challenges.MethodsThe review involved a comprehensive screening of 62 research articles that meet the ESSA evidence levels from multiple databases. The selection criteria focused on studies employing various methodologies, including behavioral experiments and neuroimaging techniques, to explore the neuroscience underpinnings and educational interventions related to mathematical cognitive impairment and anxiety.ResultsThe review identified key themes and insights into the neuroscience basis of mathematical cognitive impairment and anxiety. It also examined their impact on educational practices, highlighting the interplay between cognitive processes and educational outcomes. The analysis of these studies revealed significant findings on how these impairments and anxieties manifest and can be addressed in educational settings.DiscussionThe review critically analyzes the shortcomings of existing research, noting gaps and limitations in current understanding and methodologies. It emphasizes the need for more comprehensive and diverse studies to better understand these phenomena. The discussion also suggests new directions and potential improvement strategies for future research, aiming to contribute to more effective educational interventions and enhanced learning experiences in mathematics.ConclusionThis systematic review provides valuable insights into the neuroscience basis of mathematical cognitive impairment and anxiety, offering a foundation for developing more effective educational strategies. It underscores the importance of continued research in this area to improve educational outcomes and support learners facing these challenges.

Promoting Effective Math Learning with Educational Robots

Mathematics is a key subject for building competencies of the future. Managing students’ attitude towards learning mathematics is an important challenge in the Romanian educational system. Thus, it is essential to bring new teaching practices into the class in order to reduce math anxiety, increase motivation and successfully develop students’ cognitive skills. Due to the increasing importance of technology in our lives, using educational robotics may be an effective strategy to meet those demands. The aim of the present study was to design and test 5 educational robots-based scenarios for teaching math competencies, as logical, spatial and computational thinking, in primary school setting. More specifically, we describe the scenarios for robot-supported teaching, the competencies aimed to be developed and the process of testing their effectiveness in class. Main challenges and further recommendations in promoting math learning with educational robots for primary school children are also discussed.

Math Anxiety, Achievement and Perceptions of Same-Ethnic Peers in Math Class

Using multiple linear regression analysis, this research explores racially and ethnically diverse students’ feelings of math anxiety, how these beliefs shape their achievement in the subject, and whether students’ math anxiety and performance in mathematics vary based on students’ gender, race/ethnicity, and math level. Moreover, this study investigated the potential protective functions of perceiving a high proportion of same-ethnic peers in math class for buffering against the detrimental effects of high math anxiety on achievement. Results showed that when African American students reported a high level of math anxiety, their math grades were lower when they also perceived there to be a high proportion of same-ethnic peers in their math course compared to White students with similar levels of math anxiety and perceptions of same-ethnic peers. These results suggest that the effects of classroom same-ethnic representation for students’ academic outcomes are more nuanced than labeling it as a “protective” factor. Other contextual factors may influence the relationship between math anxiety, perceived same-ethnic representation in math class, and achievement and should be explored in future research.

Mathematics self-efficacy, self-concept and anxiety in relation to Mathematics achievement: The case of Kafa Zone School adolescents, Ethiopia

Background It is significant to investigate students’ mathematical self-efficacy, self-concept and anxiety constructs since they have an effect on not only the process of acquiring mathematics, and academic achievement but also potential professional choices and general welfare. This study was aimed at exploring the effects of mathematical self-beliefs, namely self-concept, self-efficacy, and math anxiety on the mathematics achievement of high school adolescents. Methods The sample contains 384 randomly selected grade 12 students (M=199, F= 185) from three preparatory schools in Kafa zone. Tools were adapted from Butler (2016) and Al Mutawah (2015). The Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) was administered to get information on mathematics achievement. Confirmatory factor analysis along with structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Results The results reveal that self-concept and self-efficacy have a positive and significant association with math achievement whereas anxiety has a negative relationship with math achievement but is not significant. Conclusions From the results, we conclude that self-concept and self-efficacy have significant and positive effects on mathematics achievement. We recommend that every concerned body should pay concerted effort to these motivational variables so as to encourage students’ achievements in mathematics.

Comparison of the Reliability and Validity of Math Anxiety Scale with Different Scale Formats

The study compared the reliability and validity of the Math Anxiety Scale (MAS) in different scale formats: 5-point scale, checklist, visual analog scale, and 4-point scale. Specifically, it sought to assess the student’s level of math anxiety, determine the reliability coefficients of each scale format, test the concurrent validity against the standardized scale, and compare the extracted factors with the original MAS. The respondents were 67 students, a total enumeration from two sections of a laboratory school in La Trinidad, Benguet. The standardized MAS (5-point scale) was adopted and transformed into a checklist, visual analog scale, and 4-point scale. The tests were administered at three-day intervals. The findings indicated that students experienced a moderate level of math anxiety, with cognitive dimension substantially contributing to their anxiety. The visual analog scale demonstrated the highest reliability coefficient, followed by the 4-point scale, checklist, and 5-point scale, respectively. Concurrent validity analysis revealed that the visual analog scale exhibited the highest concurrent validity, followed by the 4-point scale and checklist, respectively. Based on the results, the majority of the students are experiencing a moderate level of math anxiety. Among the four scale formats, the visual analog scale provides the most reliable and valid responses to be used in measuring math anxiety among junior high school students with ages ranging from 11 to 13 years old.

Identifying Mathematics Anxiety Through Automated Process (IMATAP): A Web-Based Screening Tool for Teachers

Mathematics anxiety (MA) is considered a potential barrier to success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. A good number of students around the globe are terrified of mathematics. They do whatever they can to avoid math or math-related subjects. Therefore, the early identification of MA and its underlying factors is crucial in initiating timely interventions that can enhance positive attitudes in math, boost math performance, minimize math avoidance, and motivate students to pursue math-related careers. In this paper, we have presented a unique, multifaceted, and complete web-based MA screening tool called identifying mathematics anxiety through an automated process (IMATAP) to assess MA, its severity, and its deficiency. This assessment provides a detailed explanation of developing MA and helps teachers, parents, educators, and researchers design need-based intervention techniques (personalized or cluster-based) to reduce MA, which will ultimately help math-anxious students overcome math fear. Over the past two years (2021–2022), IMATAP has been successfully implemented in nine different primary and secondary level institutions in Bangladesh. Findings revealed that the effectiveness of the IMATAP system has been appreciated and highly accepted by both students and teachers.

Mathematics Anxiety among Jordanian Pre-Service Elementary Teachers

Mathematics is considered one of the most important topics people are interested in throughout the different learning stages. A lot of people all around the world face different types of difficulties such as anxiety of mathematics. The current study aimed at investigating mathematics anxiety among pre- service Jordanian elementary teachers. The sample consisted of 472 pre-service teachers who were studying in the College of Educational Sciences at Al al-Bayt University, Jordan. Those pre- service teachers were enrolled in three different majors: Elementary Teachers Program, Early Childhood Program, and Special Education Program. The researchers used the Mathematical Anxiety Scale- Short Version developed by Suinn and Winston (2003), which consisted of 29 items with 5- point Likert-type instrument. The results of the study revealed six themes where each included some of the 29 items of the scale. In general, the responses of the participants in the study showed mathematics anxiety in the following issues: Anxiety because of thinking about the exam, anxiety after taking the exam, anxiety in the form of patterns and life situations related to the four basic processes, anxiety from mathematics, concern in the form of questions on the four basic processes, concern in the form of models of life applications on the four basic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division), and taking a math test or preparing for a math test or homework.