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Mathematics Anxiety: Definition, Prevention, Reversal Strategies and School Setting Inclusion

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Inclusive Mathematics Education

Abstract

Given that school mathematics is still viewed by many students as a difficult school subject, which generates patterns of aversion and fear among students and a high rate of retention, different studies have identified patterns of behaviors called “mathematics anxiety.” The present chapter intends to offer an updated overview of the conceptual, behavioral, and intervention aspects regarding anxiety to mathematics, as well as to point out the possibilities of future investigations. In this chapter, mathematics anxiety is defined as a set of physiological, cognitive, and behavioral reactions in situations in which a good performance in mathematics is expected. In addition to this standard definition, an operational definition of mathematics anxiety will be presented, some methodological and cultural aspects that are at the root of this phenomenon will be addressed, and mathematics anxiety will be differentiated from two other math learning disorders (developmental dyscalculia and acalculia). Information about gender differences, neurobiological basis, career choice, the relationship between mathematics anxiety and generalized anxiety, and mathematics anxiety and performance in discipline and testing will be added. Finally, we intend to present strategies to identify mathematical anxiety in elementary and secondary school students, as well as strategies for the prevention and reversal of anxiety in mathematics. These discussions will be based on data obtained through instruments (scales, surveys) that we developed to investigate the Brazilian population of students, as well as a comparative analysis of the international literature.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Stress inoculation is a technique that aims to help the patient change the meaning of traumatic memories, as well as develop strategies to deal with situations that generate fear or anxiety. It was originally developed by Meichenbaum in 1974 as a procedure to treat phobias in general.

  2. 2.

    For detailed information, see ACT (Hayes, Pistorello, & Biglan, 2008), SST (Murta, 2005), and SMT (Sime, Ansorge, Olson, Parker, & Lukin, 1987).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil

    João dos Santos Carmo, Gabriele Gris & Livia dos Santos Palombarini

Authors
  1. João dos Santos Carmo
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  2. Gabriele Gris
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  3. Livia dos Santos Palombarini
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to João dos Santos Carmo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Pädagogische Hochschule Vorarlberg, Feldkirch, Austria

    David Kollosche

  2. Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, Brazil

    Renato Marcone

  3. Universität Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany

    Michel Knigge

  4. Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rio Claro, Brazil

    Miriam Godoy Penteado  & Ole Skovsmose  & 

  5. Aalborg Universitet, Aalborg, Denmark

    Ole Skovsmose

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dos Santos Carmo, J., Gris, G., dos Santos Palombarini, L. (2019). Mathematics Anxiety: Definition, Prevention, Reversal Strategies and School Setting Inclusion. In: Kollosche, D., Marcone, R., Knigge, M., Penteado, M.G., Skovsmose, O. (eds) Inclusive Mathematics Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11518-0_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11518-0_24

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-11518-0

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