Control Emotions to Boost Success

A recent study has shown that instead of feeling anxious about an impending maths task, students who could focus their attention were able to complete difficult math problems more successfully. Perhaps counter-intuitively, their success wasn't just about activating areas of the brain involved in math calculation. For maths-anxious individuals to succeed, they need to focus on controlling their emotions, Beilock said.

Lyons and Beilock said their work implies that teaching students to control their emotions prior to doing maths may be the best way to overcome the maths difficulties that often go along with maths anxiety. Without this initial step, simply providing additional maths instruction or allowing students to become distracted by trying to squelch emotions once a maths exam has begun is likely to prove ineffective in producing maths success.