College Students Who Are Mindful About Math Achieve Better Grades

High levels of math anxiety combined with low levels of mindfulness may contribute to disproportionate failure rates in introductory college mathematics classes. Although research has confirmed benefits of mindfulness in reducing anxiety and stress, findings have been less clear regarding links between mindfulness and achievement outcomes. The current study used an adapted version of the Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire, with items reworded specifically for activities related to math, to investigate roles of both math anxiety and mindfulness on midterm course grades. Undergraduate math students completed a brief test of math skills, and questionnaires about math anxiety, general mindfulness, and mindfulness about math during the first week of the semester. Course grades were collected at midterm. Results revealed that math skills and the act with awareness facet of mindfulness were significantly associated with course grades. Supporting mindful awareness during introductory college math classes may also enhance achievement outcomes. Lay We investigated how math skills, math anxiety, and mindfulness about math contributed to college students' midterm grades in introductory math courses. The results showed that students who received higher grades at midterm began the semester with better math skills and were more mindful about math. These findings help identify students at risk for failure and suggest that mindfulness interventions may help improve students' performance in entry level college math courses.