A Pilot Math Anxiety Storybook Approach to Normalize Math Talk in Children and to Support Emotion Regulation

Research and education stakeholders in the United Kingdom (UK) acknowledge math anxiety as a detriment to learning math and associated with performance deficits, avoidance, and limiting career opportunities. Support approaches and strategies have typically focused on instruction and emotion regulation, but not necessarily in younger children using a more sustainable resource, such as a targeted storybook approach. Therefore, in this qualitative study, children age 6–7 years (N = 15) across two UK primary schools took part in 1:1 discussion surrounding engagement with a math anxiety storybook approach. Following reflexive thematic analysis, three global themes were identified: [A] Math Application: (1) counting and (2) mathematical language; [B] Strategies: (1) social learning and (2) resilience and self-regulation; and [C] Emotive Responses: (1) perceptions of self and math and (2) success and happiness. Overall, our findings suggest that children successfully engaged with a storybook approach – with integrated math problems – that normalized math talk in a non-judgment-based environment and led to more positive perspectives of math and more resilient approaches and solutions. We discuss these findings in relation to developing emotion regulation using a sustainable and flexible resource.