mathematics anxiety

Question 1

define maths anxiety

Answer 1

“a feeling of tension and anxiety that interferes with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematical problems in a wide variety of ordinary life and academic situations”

Question 2

maths anxiety circle of failure (4)

Answer 2

low performance –> negative feelings towards maths –> maths avoidance –> poor preparation –> low performance

Question 3

is maths anxiety seen in people with general anxiety

Answer 3

both in people with and without high general anxiety

Question 4

is maths anxiety the same as test anxiety

Answer 4

related but separate

2/3 of variance in maths anxiety might be unexplained by test anxiety

Question 5

is maths anxiety correlated with general cognitive skills

Answer 5

Only weakly correlated with general cognitive skills

Question 6

consequences of maths anxiety

Answer 6

Managing the unpleasant feelings triggered by maths anxiety
Taking up cognitive resources
Negative feelings associated with maths can be anticipated (Lyons & Beilock, 2012)
Engagement in “global avoidance”

Question 7

can you be diagnosed with maths anxiety

Answer 7

Cannot be given a formal diagnosis of maths anxiety
No diagnosis in DSM-5
No diagnosis in International Classification of Diseases (ICD)
May be subsumed under generalised anxiety disorder or social anxiety disorder
Many people with maths anxiety would not meet the criteria for an anxiety disorder (Luttenberger et al., 2018)

Question 8

how maths anxiety is measured

Answer 8

Most studies on mathematics anxiety rely on self-report questionnaires
Participants asked to indicate how anxious (from ‘not anxious at all’ to ‘very anxious’) they would feel in a range of situations (usually on Likert-style scale)

e.g. Rate how anxious you would feel…

Thinking about an upcoming mathematics test one day before.
Being in class doing a mathematics problem on the board.
Adding up all the money in your piggy bank.

Question 9

questionnaires for maths anxiety

Answer 9

Questionnaires differ in length and the age range for which they are appropriate
Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS; Richarson & Suinn, 1972) - 98 items
Abbreviated versions: sMARS (25 items; Alexander & Martray, 1989); AMAS (9 items; Hopko et al., 2003)
Several questionnaires for children/adolescents
MARS-A for adolescents (Suinn & Edwards, 1982)
MARS-E for 4th-6th grade (Suinn et al., 1988)
MAQ for 6- to 9-year-olds (Thomas & Dowker, 2000)
SEMA for 7- to 10-year-olds (Wu & Menon, 2012)

Question 10

age of maths anxiety development

Answer 10

mostly studied in young adults (college/uni students)

maths anxiety increases in severity from Grade 5 to 12

may be present as young as 6 years of age

Question 11

maths anxiety and maths achievement

Answer 11

Negative correlation between maths anxiety and concurrent mathematical performance (-.27 to -.48, Hembree, 1990; Wu & Menon, 2012)
Link between maths anxiety and maths performance seen by late childhood/adolescence (Barroso et al., 2021; Namkung et al., 2019; Zhang et al., 2019)
Link in early childhood is less clear

Question 12

three theories of maths anxiety and performance

Answer 12

all about relationship between poor performance and high maths anxiety

deficit theory:

• poor maths performance –> high maths anxiety
• memories of poor maths performance generate maths anxiety

reciprocal theory:

• vicious cycle of poor performance and anxiety
• higher anxiety contributes to poor performance; poor performance contributes to higher anxiety; feedback loop created

debilitating anxiety model:

• high maths anxiety –> poor performance
• Maths anxiety reduces performance by causing avoidance of maths-related situations and cognitive interference

Question 13

deficit theory of maths anxiety

Answer 13

Maths anxiety develops as a consequence for experiencing poor maths performance
Poor mathematics performance activates memory of previous poor mathematics performance – leads to current maths anxiety
Supported by finding that children with maths disabilities found to have disproportionately high maths anxiety (e.g., Ma & Xu, 2004; Passolunghi, 2011; Rubinsten & Tannock, 2010)

check study on slide 45

Question 14

debilitating anxiety model of maths anxiety

Answer 14

anxiety hinders mathematical performance

anxiety = avoiding maths

anxiety = attention on anxious thoughts

anxiety = depletes cognitive resources

Question 15

debilitating anxiety model - treatment models

Answer 15

anxiety treatment leads to improved math (even without maths training or practice)

Question 16

reciprocal theory of maths anxiety

Answer 16

both directions of influence between maths anxiety and maths performance –> bidirectional relationship

vicious cycle - feedback loop

Question 17

maths anxiety leading to WM issues

Answer 17

WM resources vital for mathematical performance

Relation between maths anxiety and working memory - need to determine direction

anxiety –> neg thoughts –> ruminations –> WM overload –> more errors made, freezing, blanking

Question 18

maths anxiety and low WM

Answer 18

math anxiety → disrupted working memory capacity → poorer performance

lower WM span for adults with high mathematics anxiety

lower verbal short-term and WM scores in 11- to 13-year-old children with high maths anxiety

lower WM capacity in individuals with high anxiety

Question 19

WM span moderating maths performance

Answer 19

low WM span + high anxiety = bad maths reasoning

high WM span + high anxiety = good maths reasoning

Question 20

maths anxiety and high working memory

Answer 20

maths anxiety affects maths performance for individuals with high working memory capacity

(also found in 5- to 8-year-old children)

strategy selection

• high working memory = use this ability = more taxing problem-solving strategies (e.g., direct retrieval)
• low working memory = avoid using ability = low-load strategies (e.g., finger counting)

Question 21

cortisol study of high WM and maths anxiety

Answer 21

cortisol = physiological measure of experienced stress

results:

low WM = no relation between cortisol concentration and maths anxiety

high WM + high maths anxiety = higher cortisol concentration related to poorer performance

high WM + low maths anxiety = higher cortisol concentration related to better performance

Question 22

risk factors for maths anxiety (3 main ones, many more with limited evidence)

Answer 22

Low mathematics ability
Low working memory
Genetics

Other possible risk factors from the literature
Students’ own low perceptions of their mathematics ability
Expectations about performance
Perceptions about the value of mathematics
Susceptibility to public embarrassment
Parents’ negative attitudes towards mathematics
Parental beliefs about a child’s mathematics abilities
Non-supportive teachers
Teachers with high mathematics anxiety

Question 23

alleviating maths anxiety (4 effective, 2 not)

Answer 23

maths training in pre-service teachers to reduce effect of maths anxiety on maths performance:

• reduction in maths anxiety after completing mathematics training courses
• classroom interventions focused on improving maths performance don’t seem to be effective in alleviating maths anxiety

systematic desensitisation = gradual exposure to an anxiety producing stimulus while maintaining a relaxed state

• effective for treatment of maths anxiety
• led to improvements in maths performance

focused breathing

expressive writing

not effective: relaxation alone; group counselling