Reducing mathematics anxiety through acceptance and commitment therapy: Evidence from a repeated measures randomised design

Mathematics is an essential discipline in the curricula of most educational systems, from early childhood to high school. However, a significant number of students face challenges due to anxiety disorders. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) does attempt to alleviate math anxiety, but there seems to be a lack of research evaluating its effectiveness in comparison with conventional counselling approaches. This study aimed to investigate the impact of ACT on mathematics anxiety among secondary school students. The sample included 56 students enrolled in Senior Secondary Class One. These students were randomly assigned to two groups; one experimental group (n = 28) received ACT, while the other control group (n = 28) participated in conventional counselling sessions. Anxiety was assessed using the Mathematics Anxiety Scale (MAS). Each of the two groups participated in eight structured 90-min sessions, conducted over a period of two months. The experimental group received ACT-based intervention activities, while the control group underwent conventional counselling. A follow-up assessment was conducted 12 weeks later to determine the sustained impact of the intervention. Results from repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction effect between time and group, F (1.65, 88.99) = 30.61, p  < .001, η² = .362. Students in the ACT group showed a substantial reduction in mathematics anxiety from pre-test (M = 59.39) to follow-up (M = 35.93), while scores in the control group remained largely unchanged. We recommended, among other things, that instructors obtain training in ACT for anxious learners to mitigate the fear response associated with mathematics classes.