Performing 1-1 Interventions to Address Mathematics Anxiety – An Intervention Case Study of 3 Brazilian Women Who Believed They Were Stupid in Mathematics

Abstract

Mathematics Anxiety is well-researched, but solutions are few. This study shows the potential to provide an affordable solution, one that could ultimately be rolled out across the country and the world. The 1:1 interventions involve inviting the participants to tell their math story and then introducing the Mathematical Resilience Framework and reframing adverse prior experiences as unrelated to intrinsic ability. The framework includes three tools: the hand model of the brain, the growth zone model, and the relaxation response. The intervention participants were Brazilian volunteers living in England from the local and virtual communities. The levels of Mathematics Anxiety were measured before the intervention using the Betz (1978) scale, and narrative records were made. The qualitative data were analyzed using deductive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) through the lens of the Mathematical Resilience Framework. The data indicated the positive impact of performing this kind of intervention.