How Does Anxiety Influence Maths Performance and What Can We do About It?

Maths anxiety has been the focus of much psychological and educational research in the past few years. In this article, we review some of this research evidence and describe some of the work we have completed. In particular, we will describe what maths anxiety is and how it has been measured, describe some of the consequences of maths anxiety, and finally describe what can be done to alleviate difficulties associated with math anxiety. What is Maths Anxiety?...Maths anxiety in many ways is easy to describe and define: it is the feelings of anxiety that some individuals experience when facing mathematical problems. Professor Mark Ashcraft, one of the main researchers in the area, has described it as “Feelings of tension, apprehension, or even dread that interferes with the ordinary manipulation of number and the solving of mathematical problems” (Ashcraft & Faust, 1994). Like other forms of anxiety, students may feel their heart beat more quickly or strongly, they may believe they are not capable of completing mathematical problems, or they may avoid attempting maths courses….The article presents research study findings for: Maths Anxiety and Performance; Maths Anxiety and Neuropsychology; A Brief Intervention for Maths Anxiety and then presents Conclusions and Recommendations.