A Case Study on the Manifestations of Mathematics Anxiety and Coping Strategies Among Students in a Science School for the Gifted

This study aims to examine the specific manifestations of mathematics anxiety experienced by students attending science schools for the gifted, and their coping strategies. Participants were eight first-year and second-year students at a science school for the gifted. Data were collected through preliminary questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and researcher observations, analyzed via the constant comparative method. Results indicated that mathematics anxiety was prominently observed in three contexts: classroom instruction, assessments, and self-directed inquiry activities. In classroom situations, anxiety arose from rapid instructional pacing and misconceptions from insufficient understanding of complex proofs. Assessment-related anxiety stemmed primarily from time constraints, unpredictable question types, and potential deductions in descriptive items. Anxiety in self-directed inquiry emerged from uncertainty in selecting topics and interpreting data. Students actively employed various coping strategies, including rigorous preparation and review, collaborative learning, expert consultation, and self-explanation techniques. This study highlights mathematics anxiety among gifted science school students as a multifaceted phenomenon influenced by interactions between individual cognitive-emotional traits and educational contexts, offering practical implications for its prevention and mitigation.