Reducing Mathematics Anxiety: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the graduate theses that aimed to determine the effect of an instructional intervention on mathematics anxiety. For this purpose, graduate theses were reviewed and 22 theses were identified. Descriptive content analysis, which is one of the systematic review methods, was used in the study. Theses were examined according to their years, types, participant groups, instructional interventions used to eliminate or reduce mathematics anxiety, and the effects of the instructional interventions discussed. According to the results of the study, it was seen that most theses on this subject were prepared in 2016 and 2019. It has been determined that the majority of the theses are master thesis. In addition, it was concluded that the theses were carried out with 7th grade students at most. It was also found that the instructional interventions used to overcome mathematics anxiety were different in almost all of the theses examined. Considering the effects of the instructional interventions discussed, it is among the results that in the most of the theses, the instructional intervention did not have a significant effect on reducing mathematics anxiety.