Fear of maths and the consequences
Maths is considered a particularly difficult subject and many children and adults report anxiety associated with it. There is sufficient evidence of a link between anxiety about maths and poorer performance: Those who have anxiety generally perform worse in maths.
It is unclear which comes first, the anxiety or the poor performance, but it is thought to be a vicious circle: Anxiety about maths leads to avoidance of maths tasks, which has a negative impact on grades and then in turn increases anxiety.
However, a recent study by the University of Cambridge shows that the link between maths anxiety and performance in the subject is not quite as simple as we might think. It's not just the students with the worst grades who are afraid of the subject. Rather, the study showed that 77 per cent of children with a strong fear of maths performed average to very well in class. This is worrying, as it means that children fear for their performance, even though this is not necessary.
Fear of maths is consistently more common in girls than in boys, although there are few to no differences in performance between the sexes. It could be related to gender stereotypes and a resulting sense of threat if girls have internalised the prejudice that boys are supposedly better at maths than they are. This stereotype may be fuelled by parents and teachers who assume that boys find maths easier than girls.
Fear of maths can also have a negative impact on children with average or high performance in maths. They may avoid maths tasks, even though the subject is one of their strengths, and do not develop their skills in this area as much as they could.
In secondary school, students have to choose subjects to specialise in. They may then give up maths because of an unfounded fear that could perhaps have been alleviated, instead of choosing their subjects on the basis of skills. They may even close off future options in careers that require an understanding of maths or relevant qualifications.
Parents and teachers should be careful not to stir up fears and avoid comments such as «I always hated maths».
Tackling the fear of maths is a challenge, especially as the attitude that maths is a difficult subject persists in many Western countries. Teachers and parents should make a conscious effort to avoid unintentionally fuelling fears, for example by avoiding comments such as «I've always hated maths» and «I just can't do maths». They could also provide more support during the transition from primary to secondary school if the maths tasks seem more difficult and a fear of maths can arise.
Little is known about how to treat these fears, but there are some promising strategies. For example, having pupils write down their fears before a test has been successful. Another approach is to reduce the pressure in maths lessons by, among other things, not setting time limits for tests.
Initial research also shows that electrical stimulation of the brain can alleviate some symptoms. Further studies are needed to find out how best to prevent maths anxiety. Maths anxiety prevents children with average or high performance from accessing maths. A more positive attitude towards the subject on the part of teachers and parents could help to reduce students' anxiety about it, which in turn would lead to better performance and greater interest in maths and mathematical careers.
This text first appeared in English on BOLD - Blog on Learning and Development.
