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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 27, 2025

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

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Math anxiety and deficient executive control: does reappraisal modulate this link?

Lital Daches Cohen¹, Orly Rubinsten¹

¹Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Department of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

|April 7, 2022

Summary

Math anxiety hinders executive control, but reappraisal helps manage emotional distractions. This suggests reappraisal-based interventions can improve math performance for anxious individuals.

Keywords:

emotion regulation executive control math anxiety reappraisal suppression

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Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood

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Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience
Educational Psychology

Background:

Executive control functions and emotion regulation are crucial in managing math anxiety.
Math anxiety can impair cognitive processes, particularly attention and emotional regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between emotion regulation strategies (reappraisal, suppression) and executive control of attention in math anxiety.
To determine if reappraisal can mitigate emotional interference from math-related stimuli.

Main Methods:

107 adults completed questionnaires on emotion regulation and math anxiety.
Participants performed a flanker task after priming with math-related or negative words.
Emotional interference in high-conflict attention tasks was assessed.

Main Results:

Highly math-anxious individuals struggled with emotional distractions from math information, even simple words.
A tendency to use reappraisal correlated with better emotional regulation when facing math-related threats.
Reappraisal was linked to reduced emotional reactions and improved performance in math-anxious individuals.

Conclusions:

Math anxiety impairs executive control over emotional distractions.
Reappraisal is an effective strategy for reducing emotional interference in math anxiety.
Reappraisal-focused interventions show promise for improving outcomes in individuals with math anxiety.