An Intervention Study Based On Solution-Focused Group Counseling For Alleviating Math Anxiety Of Junior High School Students

Mathematical anxiety occurs in specific situations(such as when performing mathematical tasks,learning mathematical knowledge,or in a mathematical situation),and is accompanied by individual adverse reactions(such as anxiety,worry,fear).It is the previous experience of failure that leads individuals to establish a connection between mathematics and negative emotions.A large number of empirical studies have found that there is a significant negative correlation between math anxiety and math performance,and it even affects future career development.The study aims to determine the current situation and characteristics of junior high school students' mathematics anxiety and discussing the relationship between mathematics anxiety and mathematics achievement.These research methods are the questionnaire survey method and the experimental method,and the research object is students(N=597)in grades 7-9 of a general middle school in Nanchang.Besides,in order to verify the effectiveness of Solution-Focused Group Counseling on math anxiety and mathematics performance of Grade 8 students,Solution-Focused Group Counseling has been used to relieve math anxiety.The result showed that SolutionFocused Group Counseling has minimal affection,which could not release students' math anxiety.Methods: The first study examined the current situation and characteristics of mathematics anxiety among junior high school students,and the relationship between mathematics anxiety and mathematic performance.A mathematics anxiety scale was conducted in a sample of junior high school students(N=597)in Nanchang.The second study verified the effectiveness of Solution-Focused Group Counseling on math anxiety of junior high school students.Mixed experimental design of 3(experimental group,control group 1,control group 2)× 2(pretest,posttest)has adopted.The experimental group received group counseling once a week for eight weeks to release students' math anxiety.The control group 1 received group counseling once a week for eight weeks,which was unrelated to the relief of math anxiety.The control group 2 didn't do any intervention,but only for daily study and life.After the experiment was completed,three groups have tested before and after the intervention,using the mathematical anxiety scale.Results: the results of the study showed that:(1)There was a significant gender difference in math anxiety,which was higher in girls than in boys.There were significant differences in grade,the highest in grade 9,the second in grade 8,and the lowest in grade 7.There was a significant difference in the form of homework completion,which was highest when accompanied by others,followed by accompanied by parents,and lowest when completed independently;There was no significant difference in the status of an only child and the registered permanent residence.(2)There were no significant differences in math scores in gender,grade,and whether or not the only child;There were significant differences in registered permanent residence,and the urban area was higher than the rural area.There was a significant difference in the form of homework completion,which was the highest in the case of independent completion,followed by accompanied by parents,and the lowest in the case of accompanied by others;(3)There was a significant negative correlation between math anxiety and math achievement;and it negatively affects math performance.The results of the study showed that:(1)Compared with the two control groups,the experimental group significantly reduced math anxiety;(2)Compared with the two control groups,the experimental group significantly improved its math performance;(3)There was no significant difference in math anxiety;(4)Math anxiety has a negative predictive effect on math performance.The main conclusions are as follows:(1)Gender and grade may be essential observation variables for middle school students' math anxiety.The math anxiety of girls is generally higher than that of boys,and the math anxiety increases with the increase of grades;(2)Math anxiety of junior high school students is negatively correlated with math performance,and can negatively affect math performance;(3)Solution-Focused Group Counseling can effectively relieve junior high school students' math anxiety,thereby,improve their math performance.