19. Effects of educational psychology–based mathematics teaching reform on students’ mental health

Abstract Background In exam-oriented mathematics classrooms, students frequently experience heightened learning anxiety, rigid attribution patterns, and weakened intrinsic motivation, all of which negatively influence both their mental well-being and academic development. Educational psychology highlights the dynamic interactions among emotional experience, motivational states, self-efficacy, and learning strategies, providing a strong theoretical grounding for instructional transformation. Despite this foundation, empirical evidence remains limited regarding whether mathematics teaching reform guided by educational psychology can effectively improve students’ mental health, mitigate anxiety, and foster more adaptive learning beliefs. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the psychological impact of an educational psychology–informed mathematics teaching reform, with particular attention to its effects on learning anxiety, self-efficacy, emotional engagement, and students’ overall attitudes toward mathematics. Methods A total of 284 seventh-grade students from two middle schools were recruited and assigned by class into either a reform group (n = 142) or a traditional instruction group (n = 142). The reform group participated in a 16-week mathematics teaching program designed according to educational psychology principles. The program incorporated emotionally supportive teacher–student interactions, growth-mindset enhancement exercises, explicit instruction on self-directed learning strategies, and collaborative problem-solving activities intended to strengthen both academic and emotional competencies. The control group continued receiving conventional lecture-oriented instruction. Before and after the intervention, students completed assessments evaluating mathematics learning anxiety (Mathematics Anxiety Scale, MAS), mathematics self-efficacy (Mathematics Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, MSEQ), attitudes toward mathematics learning (Mathematics Learning Attitude Scale, MLAS), and overall psychological health (General Health Questionnaire-12, GHQ-12). Throughout the instructional process, classroom participation levels and emotional expressions were recorded to provide behavioral indicators of engagement. Repeated-measures ANOVA and between-group comparison analyses were conducted to evaluate the psychological effects of the teaching reform. Results After 16 weeks, the reform group’s MAS scores decreased from 48.27 ± 9.63 to 36.14 ± 8.52, a reduction of 25.1%, significantly greater than the 7.4% reduction observed in the control group (p<.001), indicating substantial alleviation of mathematics learning anxiety. MSEQ scores improved by 22.8% (p=.002), showing a notable increase in students’ confidence in their mathematical abilities. MLAS scores increased by 17.9% (p=.003), reflecting enhanced interest and sustained willingness to learn mathematics. GHQ-12 results showed a 16.4% improvement in overall mental health (p=.01), compared with 5.2% in the control group. Classroom observations further indicated that the reform group’s participation increased by 31.6%, accompanied by more frequent positive emotional expressions and fewer negative emotional reactions (p<.01). Discussion The findings demonstrate that mathematics teaching reform informed by educational psychology can effectively enhance students’ mental health, particularly by reducing mathematics learning anxiety, strengthening self-efficacy, and improving learning attitudes. Through emotional support, positive feedback, and collaborative learning, the reform created a more engaging classroom atmosphere and reduced negative emotional experiences. These results suggest that mathematics teaching should not focus solely on knowledge acquisition but should integrate educational psychology principles to facilitate students’ holistic development. Future research may explore the applicability of such reforms across different grade levels and incorporate digital learning tools and emotion-monitoring technologies to build more precise and sustainable psychological support within mathematics education.