Visuospatially Rich Math Games Increase Anxiety in Children With Lower Visuospatial Working Memory Capacity

ABSTRACT The relationship between mathematics anxiety and performance has not been explored with young children who learn math using visuospatially rich adaptive games. In this study, 40 second graders used Reflex™, a game‐based, visuospatially intensive adaptive learning platform for practicing mathematics fact fluency. A within‐subjects, pretest‐posttest research design was employed to investigate whether and how individual differences in verbal and visuospatial working memory capacity (WMC) influence elementary students' math anxiety and performance as a result of extended playing of visuospatially rich math games. Results revealed that students with higher visuospatial working memory capacity reported a decrease in math anxiety and demonstrated high anxiety‐performance efficiency; that is, low anxiety but high performance. In contrast, children with lower visuospatial working memory capacity experienced an increase in math anxiety and exhibited low anxiety‐performance efficiency. Thus, it is important to consider individual differences in visuospatial working memory capacity when designing and implementing game‐based adaptive learning technologies in the classroom.