Maths Anxiety: What Causes It and How Does It Impact You?
Have you experienced an increased heart rate, stomach tightening and sweaty hands when solving maths? Find out what causes it and how you can reduce it.
Mathematics. It is the one word in the English language that has the ability to absolutely terrify me. I've always had a very tumultuous relationship with maths and dreaded every minute I had to spend in front of the textbook. I spent numerous hours attempting to understand concepts like quadratic equations, differential equations and trigonometry, but they would always just fly right over my head.
Upon reflection, however, I realised that my feelings about the topic were ones of fear rather than disinterest. When I was asked to practise or solve maths problems, I still recall experiencing extreme discomfort and heart palpitations. Random math tests would frequently be given in my tuition classes, which would only amplify these feelings. Years, after I finished school, taking a maths test, has now become one of my worst nightmares.
However, these feelings prompted me to think that I must not be the only person who experiences these emotions when confronted with mathematics. As I dug deeper, I learned a great deal about maths anxiety and how it affects a sizeable portion of the world's population. Through this article, I would like to share some of my research on maths anxiety—what it is, what causes it, how it affects people, and what we can do to reduce it.
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What Is Maths Anxiety?
The concept of maths anxiety is not something from the recent past, in fact, it has caught the attention of scientists and researchers for over 60 years. Maths anxiety is defined as experiencing feelings of dread, stress, or apprehension while working with numbers and solving mathematical problems. The symptoms of maths anxiety can be expressed in numerous ways, including a student's negative attitude about the subject, their belief that they can't solve a problem before they ever try, their nervousness and difficulty concentrating in class, or even in their fear of giving inaccurate answers, to name a few.
Maths anxiety must not be confused with dyscalculia, a learning condition that impairs a person's ability to understand information based on numbers and to do maths. On the other hand, maths anxiety is firmly rooted in one's emotions and is also seen in those who can do maths even though they may not enjoy the topic. Estimates for the prevalence of math anxiety vary depending on the population being studied, but several studies suggest that between 30 and 70% of people experience it.
In light of the prevalent nature of maths anxiety, let's now explore how it initially develops.
How Does Maths Anxiety Develop?
The scientific community believed, until a few years ago, that the introduction of challenging concepts like algebra in school causes the development of maths anxiety. However, research has shown that maths anxiety begins to manifest even earlier, most likely by the age of six!
But what are the contributing factors of maths anxiety that facilitate it to develop at such a young age and generally? Experts indicate two key players in that and they are our teachers and parents.
Our ability to learn is greatly influenced by our teachers, so their own anxieties and levels of expertise can have a significant effect on us. This thought was supported by a recent study which showed that students who felt that their teachers were less competent in teaching maths experienced higher levels of maths anxiety. Teachers' classroom practices and attitudes too can play an important role with studies suggesting that teachers who are strict, and unapproachable and who make kids feel inadequate exacerbate students' math anxiety. Additionally, factors like poor learning environments in the classroom and higher amounts of math homework also contribute to increasing maths anxiety levels.
Parents, in addition to teachers, are crucial to their child's academic development. As a result, their parenting styles and their own aversion to mathematics can impact their child’s learning. According to a 2015 study, kids with maths-anxious parents who received help with their homework not only learned less during the school year but also experienced increased anxiety at the end of the academic year. Furthermore, parenting styles, especially ones that are controlling, restrictive and punishment focussed can contribute to the development of maths anxiety among students.
Research also emphasises the part our brain plays in math anxiety in addition to these social factors.
When performing maths-related tasks, one's working memory—a system for processing information—is crucial because it enables us to think about and recall multiple pieces of information at once. If a maths question is given to us in class, for example, we might use this system to remember the numbers the teacher has stated while also figuring out how to solve the problem and write down the solution.
When anxious, the working memory's resources are used to focus on the intrusive and anxious thoughts about how one feels about maths rather than on resolving the problem at hand. According to researchers, this not only impedes one’s ability to solve maths problems but may also predispose individuals to develop maths anxiety, creating a vicious cycle.
Having explored the various factors that contribute to maths anxiety, let us now examine its influence on our lives.
What Is the Impact of Maths Anxiety?
Numerous studies have examined how maths anxiety affects a person's life. One such impact is on a person's academic maths performance in the context of their education. Several studies carried out amongst students pursuing their primary, secondary or university level education and even adults demonstrate that higher levels of maths anxiety results in poorer performance in maths.
Furthermore, maths anxiety can also have an impact on a student’s long-term learning as well. Experts suggest that math-anxious students are more likely to display procrastinating behaviour and avoid courses related to the subject. Maths as a subject requires constant practice to improve one’s proficiency in it. In such scenarios, procrastination can be detrimental to maths-anxious students, often leading them to avoid preparing for the subject resulting in a poor performance in their examination, which can consequently lead to increasing the levels of their existing maths anxiety.
Research further shows that people with maths anxiety tend to avoid maths-related classes or activities and, as a result, are less likely to choose a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). This suggests that maths anxiety can also significantly influence our career decisions.
How Can We Mitigate Math Anxiety?
Given the impact that maths anxiety can have on an individual, it is important to also understand the steps that can be taken to mitigate it.
a. Social Level
Teachers and parents can use a few techniques to reduce mathematical anxiety among students. In the classroom, teachers can help make maths a topic of great relevance to students by using examples from one’s day-to-day life. Examples include using geometry and trigonometry concepts to improve one's sports skills, managing finances using the concepts of simple and compound interest, and using area and perimeters when remodelling or decorating one's home.
Maths as a subject at times tends to lean towards memorisation whether it be in the form of multiplication tables when we are young or formulas at a later stage. However, this form of learning might not be as beneficial as we think. Studies indicate that students tend to be better at maths when they understand the logic behind the concepts as opposed to rote learning. Keeping that in mind, teachers can work towards increasing students' ability to use mathematics as a tool to expand their decision-making and critical thinking skills.
Currently, maths teachers emphasise speed and accuracy in getting the right answer to a problem, which is a more result-focused approach. Teachers can determine whether a concept has been understood or not by focusing less on the accuracy of the result and more on the steps and methods the student used to reach an answer.
Parents can help in reducing maths anxiety by not having unrealistic expectations of their performance in the subject. In addition to that, they can provide their children with moral support which helps not only encourage children but also shape their attitude towards the subject.
Additionally, it is imperative that parents monitor their child’s progress. This would help them be more aware of the child’s performance in the subject. Should the child face any difficulties or stress regarding the subject, the simple process of monitoring will help the parents be the first ones to notice, making way to creating supportive methods that can help their child grow.
b. Personal Level
Daily practice can help you develop the confidence you need to solve maths problems, which can help you lower high levels of anxiety. When you don't understand a concept, ask your friends, parents, or teachers for help right away.
Additionally, you could try expressive writing, which has been shown to help anxious students perform better in maths. This entails writing down your thoughts and feelings about a stressor (in this case, maths) 15-20 minutes before dealing with it (e.g. a maths test). This not only aids in lowering one's negative thoughts but has also been demonstrated to enhance test performance in maths-anxious people.
Lastly, incorporate multiple breaks in your study routine along with relaxation and breathing exercises to help manage your anxiety.
Maths anxiety is a phenomenon that not only affects children but can also have long-term effects on an adult's academic performance and career decisions. Maths as a subject has always been extremely relevant and important because its fundamental concepts can be applied to almost every aspect of our lives. In light of this, it is crucial for parents and teachers to establish a learning environment that fosters a child's interest in the subject from an early age. Effective techniques can be used by parents, teachers, and students themselves to reduce any existing maths anxiety.
It’s time we worked towards making maths fun for everyone!
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