The development of mathematics anxiety as a process of appraisal

Research on the coping strategies that prospective primary teachers (PPTs) employ when facing stressful life events (LEs) related to mathematics remains limited, and current models of mathematics anxiety do not sufficiently explain how such events—when appraised as negative—contribute to its development. This mixed-methods study is theoretically grounded in the interpretation account, a framework that highlights the role of individuals’ internal narratives and cognitive appraisals in shaping their emotional responses to mathematics. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 24 PPTs and analysed by using thematic qualitative text analysis to identify common types of LEs and coping strategies. The quantitative component involved descriptive statistical analysis of the frequency and distribution of these strategies across educational levels and in relation to when the LEs occurred. Findings showed that most LEs were associated with instructors’ pedagogical approaches or in-class behaviours, and with the perceived difficulty of mathematics. Participants predominantly used problem-focused coping strategies (e.g., instrumental support, active coping, planning), but also employed less adaptive ones—such as behavioural disengagement—which were reported across all educational stages, often in close temporal proximity to the LEs themselves, and more frequently during tertiary education. The study concludes by proposing targeted interventions that support PPTs in adopting adaptive coping strategies and in gradually reconstructing disfluent narrative identities formed through negative mathematics experiences.