From buying an area rug to planning for retirement, math is a fact of life. But for people with math anxiety, such tasks can bring a feeling of dread.
Math anxiety is a worry or fear that occurs when people try to solve math problems, take tests, or even think about numbers. “For adults who don’t have it, it can be strange to imagine someone being so scared of mathematics,” said Pooja Sidney, PhD, a developmental cognitive psychologist at the University of Kentucky who studies math anxiety. “But a child with math anxiety can’t just get over it because an adult tells them math is easy.”
Causes and consequences
For the math anxious, dealing with numbers is literally painful. Researchers used fMRI to scan the brains of people with math anxiety and found that just the anticipation of doing math increased activity in brain regions associated with detecting threats and experiencing pain (Lyons, I. M., & Beilock, S. L., PLOS ONE, Vol. 7, No. 10, 2012opens in new window).
Math anxiety can begin as early as elementary school. For others, it shows up around middle school, when math classes start getting harder and more complex. Estimates suggest about 20% to 25% of kids experience at least some math anxiety, and it often lasts into adulthood.
Math anxiety is higher in women and girls than it is in men and boys. That is not because boys are naturally better at crunching numbers, experts explain. “There’s this societal stereotype that math is a masculine domain, and a lot of women incorporate that idea,” said Molly Jameson, PhD, an educational psychologist at the University of Northern Colorado. That belief can fuel math anxiety. Her research shows that one big factor in math anxiety is a child’s “math self-concept”—in other words, their confidence in their ability to tackle a math problem (Journal of Experimental Education, Vol. 82, No. 4, 2014opens in new window).
Some people do develop math anxiety because they have not mastered the foundational skills. It is hard to master fractions, for example, if you do not yet have a grasp on whole numbers. But even those who do well in the subject can develop it. “People with high math anxiety aren’t necessarily lacking knowledge,” Jameson said. High anxiety might prevent them from tapping into that knowledge, however. “It’s an overreaction to math that takes up resources in their brains and prevents them from accessing the skills they need to solve the problem,” she added.
That overreaction can affect people’s academic achievement and future choices. People with high math anxiety are less likely to finish graduate school or go into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers (Hart, S. A., & Ganley, C. M., Journal of Numerical Cognition, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2019opens in new window). Fear of numbers can also hold people back in their daily lives. “It can lead them to avoid everyday situations using math, including money management and salary negotiation,” said Sian Beilock, PhD, a cognitive scientist who studies math anxiety and is president of Dartmouth College.
Managing math anxiety
The consequences of math anxiety can be daunting. But caregivers and educators can take steps to help kids manage their fear of math.
Spot the signs. If your child is struggling, talk to their teachers. Instructors may recommend you get an evaluation for learning disabilities such as dyscalculia, a condition that impairs math ability. It is worth ruling out, but math anxiety is more common than dyscalculia. If you suspect anxiety, talk to your child. Are they nervous when studying, or just frustrated? Kids with math anxiety tend to use negative statements (“I’m so dumb at math”) and go out of their way to avoid math, like staying home sick on test days.
Promote mental health. Math anxiety is more common in people who experience general anxiety. If your child seems anxious in other situations, treating overall anxiety can help improve math-specific anxiety.
Watch your language. Messages kids hear about math can communicate that math is something to avoid. An offhand comment like “Let’s put away our math books now and do something fun” suggests that math is anything but. Be careful not to talk about math in negative terms. That is especially true if you have math anxiety of your own. “Kids learn from the adults around them,” Beilock said.
Help kids grow. When it comes to math, a lot of people have a “fixed mindset”—they think math skills are something you either have or you don’t. “But anybody can learn math,” Jameson said. Help kids develop a “growth mindset”—a belief that abilities can improve over time. One way to do that is to focus on effort, not results: Instead of making a big deal about the grade they got on their math test, praise them for how hard they worked to learn a tricky new math skill.
Improve study skills. Beilock’s research shows that math anxiety can lead kids to avoid studying. They can end up less prepared for tests, and even more anxious. Math is cumulative, with one lesson building on another. If they are too anxious to learn, they can fall behind and have trouble catching up. To avoid that outcome, help kids practice math, keep up with their work as they move through the curriculum, and develop good overall study skills. “We can teach them better study habits and help them confront the problems that are making them feel anxious,” she said.
Math does not have to be the enemy. Helping kids face their fears can set them up for success in school and in life.
