Examining the Effectiveness of a Combined Math and Relaxation Intervention for Students with Math Anxiety

Abstract Despite robust evidence for the correlation between math anxiety and math performance, few interventions have addressed how best to intervene with students that display math anxiety and low math performance. The current study addressed critical gaps in the literature. We evaluated a combined relaxation (progressive relaxation and breathing) and math skill intervention (explicit instruction, strategic incremental rehearsal, cover-copy-compare, and a math game) for fifth-grade students with high levels of math anxiety using a multiple-baseline design across participants. Outcomes included multiplication performance (simple and complex) and math anxiety (self-reported and a physiological measure). The intervention package improved math outcomes for three of four students and decreased self-reported math anxiety for two students. No relationship was found between measures of self-reported and physiological math anxiety.