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Klein AM, Van Niekerk RE, Allart Van Dam E, Rinck M, Verbraak MJPM, Hutschemaekers GJM, Becker ES. Fear-related associations in children of parents with an anxiety disorder. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2024; 84:101953. [PMID: 38593495 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2024.101953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Children of parents with an anxiety disorder are at elevated risk for developing an anxiety disorder themselves. According to cognitive theories, a possible risk factor is the development of schema-related associations. This study is the first to investigate whether children of anxious parents display fear-related associations and whether these associations relate to parental anxiety. METHODS 44 children of parents with panic disorder, 27 children of parents with social anxiety disorder, and 84 children of parents without an anxiety disorder filled out the SCARED-71, and the children performed an Affective Priming Task. RESULTS We found partial evidence for disorder-specificity: When the primes were related to their parent's disorder and the targets were negative, the children of parents with panic disorder and children of parents with social anxiety disorder showed the lowest error rates related to their parents' disorder, but they did not have faster responses. We did not find any evidence for the expected specificity in the relationship between the parents' or the children's self-reported anxiety and the children's fear-related associations, as measured with the APT. LIMITATIONS Reliability of the Affective Priming Task was moderate, and power was low for finding small interaction effects. CONCLUSIONS Whereas clearly more research is needed, our results suggest that negative associations may qualify as a possible vulnerability factor for children of parents with an anxiety disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke M Klein
- Developmental and Educational Psychology, Leiden University, the Netherlands; Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Rianne E Van Niekerk
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Centre for Anxiety Disorders Overwaal, Pro Persona, the Netherlands
| | | | - Mike Rinck
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Eni S Becker
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Gashaj V, Thaqi Q, Mast FW, Roebers CM. Foundations for future math achievement: Early numeracy, home learning environment, and the absence of math anxiety. Trends Neurosci Educ 2023; 33:100217. [PMID: 38049291 DOI: 10.1016/j.tine.2023.100217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mathematics achievement is pivotal in shaping children's future prospects. Cognitive skills (numeracy), feelings (anxiety), and the social environment (home learning environment) influence early math development. METHOD A longitudinal study involved 85 children (mean age T1 = 6.4 years; T2 = 7.9) to explore these predictors holistically. Data were collected on early numeracy skills, home learning environment, math anxiety, and their impact on various aspects of math. RESULTS The study found that early numeracy skills, home learning environment, and math anxiety significantly influenced math school achievement. However, they affected written computation, sequences, and comparisons differently. Early numeracy skills strongly predicted overall achievement and comparison subtest performance. CONCLUSION These findings underscore the substantial role of math anxiety and home learning environment in children's math achievement. The study emphasizes the need to consider the selective impacts of these factors in future research, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of mathematics achievement determinants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venera Gashaj
- Centre for Early Mathematics Learning, School of Science, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK.
| | - Qendresa Thaqi
- Institute for Implementation Science in Health Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Fred W Mast
- Department of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Lemaire P. Emotions and arithmetic in children. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20702. [PMID: 36456641 PMCID: PMC9715942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24995-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
How do negative emotions influence arithmetic performance and how such influence changes with age during childhood? To address these issues, I used a within-trial emotion induction procedure while children solve arithmetic problems. More specifically, 8-15 year-old participants (N = 207) solved arithmetic problems (8 + 4 = 13. True? False?) that were displayed superimposed on emotionally negative or neutral pictures. The main results showed (a) poorer performance in emotionally negative conditions in all age groups, (b) larger deleterious effects of negative emotions on harder problems, (c) decreased effects of emotions as children grow older, and (d) sequential carry-over effects of emotions in all age groups such that larger decreased performance under emotion condition relative to neutral condition occurred on current trials immediately preceded by emotional trials. These findings have important implications for furthering our understanding of how emotions influence arithmetic performance in children and how this influence changes during childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Lemaire
- grid.463724.00000 0004 0385 2989Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, LPC, Marseille, France
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Cipora K, Santos FH, Kucian K, Dowker A. Mathematics anxiety-where are we and where shall we go? Ann N Y Acad Sci 2022; 1513:10-20. [PMID: 35322431 PMCID: PMC9542812 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we discuss several largely undisputed claims about mathematics anxiety (MA) and propose where MA research should focus, including theoretical clarifications on what MA is and what constitutes its opposite pole; discussion of construct validity, specifically relations between self‐descriptive, neurophysiological, and cognitive measures; exploration of the discrepancy between state and trait MA and theoretical and practical consequences; discussion of the prevalence of MA and the need for establishing external criteria for estimating prevalence and a proposal for such criteria; exploration of the effects of MA in different groups, such as highly anxious and high math–performing individuals; classroom and policy applications of MA knowledge; the effects of MA outside educational settings; and the consequences of MA on mental health and well‐being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Cipora
- Centre for Mathematical Cognition, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| | - Flavia H Santos
- UCD Music and Math Cognition, School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Karin Kucian
- Center for MR-Research, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ann Dowker
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Finell J, Sammallahti E, Korhonen J, Eklöf H, Jonsson B. Working Memory and Its Mediating Role on the Relationship of Math Anxiety and Math Performance: A Meta-Analysis. Front Psychol 2022; 12:798090. [PMID: 35126249 PMCID: PMC8811497 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.798090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that math anxiety has a negative relationship with math performance (MP). A few theories have provided explanations for this relationship. One of them, the Attentional Control Theory (ACT), suggests that anxiety can negatively impact the attentional control system and increase one's attention to threat-related stimuli. Within the ACT framework, the math anxiety (MA)-working memory (WM) relationship is argued to be critical for math performance. The present meta-analyses provides insights into the mechanisms of the MA-MP relation and the mediating role of WM. Through database searches with pre-determined search strings, 1,346 unique articles were identified. After excluding non-relevant studies, data from 57 studies and 150 effect sizes were used for investigating the MA-MP correlation using a random-effects model. This resulted in a mean correlation of r = -0.168. The database search of WM as a mediator for the MA-MP relation revealed 15 effects sizes leading to a descriptive rather than a generalizable statistic, with a mean indirect effect size of -0.092. Overall, the results confirm the ACT theory, WM does play a significant role in the MA-MP relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonatan Finell
- Department of Applied Educational Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ellen Sammallahti
- Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Åbo Akademi University, Vaasa, Finland
| | - Johan Korhonen
- Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Åbo Akademi University, Vaasa, Finland
| | - Hanna Eklöf
- Department of Applied Educational Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Bert Jonsson
- Department of Applied Educational Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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Mononen R, Niemivirta M, Korhonen J, Lindskog M, Tapola A. Developmental relations between mathematics anxiety, symbolic numerical magnitude processing and arithmetic skills from first to second grade. Cogn Emot 2021; 36:452-472. [PMID: 34915812 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2021.2015296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the levels of and changes in mathematics anxiety (MA), symbolic numerical magnitude processing (SNMP) and arithmetic skills, and how those changes are linked to each other. Children's (n = 264) MA, SNMP and arithmetic skills were measured in Grade 1, and again in Grade 2, also including a mathematics performance test. All three constructs correlated significantly within each time point, and the rank-order stability over time was high, particularly in SNMP and arithmetic skills. By means of latent change score modelling, we found overall increases in SNMP and arithmetic skills over time, but not in MA. Most interestingly, changes in arithmetic skills and MA were correlated (i.e. steeper increase in arithmetic skills was linked with less steep increase in MA), as were changes in SNMP and arithmetic skills (i.e. improvement in SNMP was associated with improvement in arithmetic skills). Only the initial level of arithmetic skills and change in it predicted mathematics performance. The only gender difference, in favour of boys, was found in SNMP skills. The differential effects associated with MA (developmentally only linked with arithmetic skills) and gender (predicting only changes in SNMP) call for further longitudinal research on the different domains of mathematical skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riikka Mononen
- Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Markku Niemivirta
- School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland.,Department of Education, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Johan Korhonen
- Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Åbo Akademi University, Åbo, Finland
| | - Marcus Lindskog
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Education, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Tapola
- Department of Education, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Van Mier HI, Schleepen TMJ, Van den Berg FCG. Gender Differences Regarding the Impact of Math Anxiety on Arithmetic Performance in Second and Fourth Graders. Front Psychol 2019; 9:2690. [PMID: 30713516 PMCID: PMC6345718 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of math skills is crucial for adequate functioning in academic and professional settings as well as in daily life. A factor that has been shown to negatively influence performance and acquisition of math skills is math anxiety. With the high prevalence of math anxiety in society and the long lasting effects on math performance, it is important to study the relation between math anxiety and math performance in young children. Since math anxiety is often more pronounced in women than in men, it is essential to take the effect of gender into account. While the effect of gender on the relation between math anxiety and math performance has been studied in adults and adolescents, less research has focused on children, especially children at young ages. To fill this gap, the current study examined how the relation between math anxiety and math performance differed between boys and girls in early elementary school years. Math anxiety and math performance was assessed in 124 second- and fourth-grade children (67 girls and 57 boys). Although boys and girls showed more or less equal levels of math anxiety and performed similarly at the arithmetic task, correlation analyses showed that only in girls, math anxiety significantly correlated with math performance. Analyses investigating if math anxiety moderated the effect of gender and grade on math performance revealed significant differences between boys and girls. Higher levels of math anxiety only significantly and negatively moderated math performance in girls, with the greatest effect observed in 2nd grade girls. These findings highlight the importance of taking gender differences into account when studying the effect of math anxiety. The results showed that math anxiety is already negatively linked to math performance in girls as early as second grade. The present findings emphasize the importance of the early identification and remediation of math anxiety in girls to prevent long lasting effects. Possible causes for the gender related differences will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanneke I Van Mier
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Section, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Tamara M J Schleepen
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Section, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Fabian C G Van den Berg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Section, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
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