EFFECTIVENESS OF RATIONAL-EMOTIVE THERAPY OR PROBLEM-SOLVING/RELAXATION IN REDUCING MATH ANXIETY AND/OR IMPROVING ATTITUDES TOWARD MATH IN POTENTIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

Although the concept of anxiety related to mathematics performance has been studied since the early 1960's, the term "math anxiety" has become a functional psychological term to represent a specific anxiety state. The term, different from dyscalculia--an inability to perform the simplest arithmetic operation--is not merely connected with test anxiety in a math setting but specifically describes feelings of anxiety that interfere with the utilization of mathematical skills in many daily life and academic situations.;The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of Rational-Emotive Therapy (RET) and/or a Problem-Solving/Relaxation therapy as interventions for use with potential female elementary school teachers in an attempt to reduce their math anxiety prior to teaching.;The students in the sample were completing the first of a two-semester mathematics requirement in Arithmetic Theory. Forty-five elementary education majors were divided into three treatment groups to determine the effectiveness of RET or the Problem-Solving/Relaxation treatment in the reduction of their mathematics anxiety and/or a change in their negative mathematics attitudes. No division was established between math-anxious and non math-anxious students in any group. Two classes were used with the same math instructor for both. The Fall class served as the Control group and the Spring Class was randomly divided into two five-week, one hour-a-week discussion sections. The researcher conducted the treatment in the Spring groups.;The Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS) and five modified scales from the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scale (Confidence, Math Anxiety, Usefulness, Teacher, and Male Domain) were utilized as measures of the dependent variables.;Math anxiety is a curable state if the desire to change is present in the afflicted individual. Perpetuated by social factors including parent, peer and teacher influence, the seeds are firmly planted in elementary grades where rote memory is emphasized rather than concept learning. Once the individual falls behind in math learning skills, avoidance of math is much more likely and encouraged than re-entry into the mathematics field.;An Analysis of Covariance was used on the data obtained from the two instruments on the pre-test and two post-tests. The pretest was the covariant. The findings in the project indicated no statistically significant change for the three groups; however, a trend emerged for further experimentation with RET with changes recommended by the researcher: (1) longer treatment time, both during each meeting and throughout the semester; (2) use of homogeneous groupings of math-anxious rather than a combination of math-anxious and non math-anxious; and (3) a modification of instruments.;Perhaps more important to the outcome of this study, the researcher recommended that math methods classes include exposure to the components of math anxiety for elementary education majors, giving them at least the awareness of the potential for this condition in their future students and some insight into the monitoring of their own math anxiety. They hopefully would begin to prevent further perpetuation of negative math attitudes and math anxiety in elementary-age students.;Until the importance of mathematics knowledge for career choices becomes more apparent to the average student, the desire to monitor math anxiety or to change this process will not occur. This project provided support for the concept that in order for any change to occur in an individual, desire to change must be the primary component.