Poor Performance In Mathematics May Trigger Anxiety In Students
London:
It is a no-brainer that many primary and secondary school children harbor a fear of Mathematics. Each one of us has met at least one adult who heaved a sigh of relief at the prospect of not having to study Mathematics after school. While many attribute this to fear of numbers or lower IQ, a recent study conducted in Germany offered a different perspective. According to the study, poor performance in mathematics may trigger negative emotions in students such as anxiety and boredom.
The findings of the study suggested that mathematics may trigger strong emotions in students and can affect academic performance for years. Stephanie Lichtenfeld from the University of Munich in Germany told IANS, "Successful performance in math increased students' positive emotions and decreased their negative emotions over the years".
It was found that students with higher intelligence scored better on their tests and had better grades but students who performed better in Mathematics had an advantage in terms of academic achievements.
Talking about students who performed poorly in Mathematics, Lichtenfeld said, "In contrast, students with poor grades and test scores suffered from a decline in positive emotions and an increase in negative emotions, such as math anxiety and math boredom. Thus, these students become caught in a downward spiral of negative emotion and poor achievement".
The study was published in the journal Child Development. As part of the study, the team chose to study 3,425 students from grades five to nine belonging to different socio-economic backgrounds. The team evaluated these students' annual assessment of emotions and achievement. While the study measured emotions as reported by the students themselves, their achievement was measured by their year-end grades and performance in a math achievement test.
(With Inputs from IANS)
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The findings of the study suggested that mathematics may trigger strong emotions in students and can affect academic performance for years. Stephanie Lichtenfeld from the University of Munich in Germany told IANS, "Successful performance in math increased students' positive emotions and decreased their negative emotions over the years".
It was found that students with higher intelligence scored better on their tests and had better grades but students who performed better in Mathematics had an advantage in terms of academic achievements.
Talking about students who performed poorly in Mathematics, Lichtenfeld said, "In contrast, students with poor grades and test scores suffered from a decline in positive emotions and an increase in negative emotions, such as math anxiety and math boredom. Thus, these students become caught in a downward spiral of negative emotion and poor achievement".
The study was published in the journal Child Development. As part of the study, the team chose to study 3,425 students from grades five to nine belonging to different socio-economic backgrounds. The team evaluated these students' annual assessment of emotions and achievement. While the study measured emotions as reported by the students themselves, their achievement was measured by their year-end grades and performance in a math achievement test.
(With Inputs from IANS)
Click here to read How to keep stress at bay during board exams
Click here for more Education News
