Take a look at the impact of our work Finding solutions to maths anxiety – Research impact – University of Derby
Dr. Thomas Hunt
Tom Hunt is an associate professor in psychology at the University of Derby. He leads the University’s Mathematics Anxiety Research Group (MARG) and his PhD, completed in 2011, was titled “An exploration of the mechanisms underpinning the relationship between mathematics anxiety and performance: the relevance of event-related potentials, intrusive thoughts and eye-movement.”
Since then he has continued to research this topic, including more applied work. Tom regularly acts as a consultant for organisations wishing to address maths anxiety, including National Numeracy, PiXL, the Mathematical Association, and the Dyscalculia Network. He is also a committee member of the Maths Anxiety Trust. He has published several scales to measure maths anxiety in its various forms and has conducted work in schools across the UK and abroad.
His current focus includes research and supporting attempts to understand and tackle socio-emotional-cognitive barriers to maths education in the least developed countries as defined by the United Nations. Further to this, his research focuses on maths anxiety in specific populations, including teachers and healthcare students.
Twitter: @dr_tom_hunt | ResearchGate | Staff Profile
Dr. Dominic Petronzi
Dominic Petronzi is a lecturer in psychology at the University of Derby Online Learning. He is a member of the University’s Mathematics Anxiety Research Group (MARG) and his PhD focussed on exploring and understanding when mathematics anxiety develops in children and what contributes towards this. This work led to a valid and reliable assessment measure for children’s mathematics anxiety. Since then, he has continued to research this area, publish research and deliver training sessions.
His more recent work is based around a self-written children’s mathematics anxiety storybook approach as a strategy that aims to reduce this anxiety.
Twitter: @DominicPetronzi
Dr. Ovidiu Bagdasar
Dr. Bagdasar is Associate Professor at the University of Derby in the United Kingdom. He is the Program Leader for the MSc Big Data Analytics, Erasmus+ Departmental Coordinator, and an active member of the Research Centre in Data Science. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (FIMA), the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), and holds membership of the International Society for Difference Equations (ISDE), American (AMM), European (EMS) and Romanian Mathematical Societies (SSMR), as well as of the Marie Curie Alumni Network.
Prof. David Sheffield
I am the Associate Head of Centre for Psychological Research. I supervise PhD and Doctorate students, lead Psychology of Illness and Research Project in Health Psychology modules on the MSc Health Psychology programme, and teach on BSc Psychology.
Paul Staples
I am currently a Senior Lecturer in Psychology. I have been teaching psychology for the past 19 years, initially at the University of Manchester, then at Staffordshire University and from 2006 here at the University of Derby.
MICHAEL WALDRON – PhD student
I’m currently investigating the effect of maths anxiety on human judgment and decision-making, with a specific focus on understanding the metacognitive processes involved.
Associate members
Dr Ioan-Lucian Popa, University of Alba-Iulia, Romania
Dr Katia Vione, University of Birmingham, UK
Dr Michael Batashvili, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel
Dr Charles Muwonge, Mbarara University of Science & Technology, Uganda
Dr Mehmet Hayri Sari, Nevsehir Haci Bektas University, Türkiye
Dr Yasu Kotera, University of Nottingham, UK
Dr Kat Ashbullby, University of Exeter, UK
Dr Julie Pepper, University of Exeter, UK
Prof. Steve Chinn
MARG publications
The following are publications by past and present members of the Mathematics Anxiety Research Group:
Kirkland, H.R., & Hunt, T. E. (2025). Maths anxiety: Solving the equation. Routledge. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003426547
Santos, F., Hunt, T. E., & Ansari, D. (2025). The intersection of cognitive and emotional factors in diagnosing and treating developmental dyscalculia. In Y. Gliksman, L. Kaufmann, & A. Henik (Eds.), Developmental dyscalculia: From brain mechanisms to educational applications. Elsevier.
Szczygieł, M., Hunt, T. E., & Sari, M. H. (2025). Domain-specific and domain-general predictors of math anxiety in adolescents and adults. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 82 102400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2025.102400
Hunt, T. E., & Petronzi, D. (2024). Recognising and measuring mathematics anxiety and resilience. In S. Johnston-Wilder & C. Lee (Eds), The mathematical resilience handbook: How everyone can progress in mathematics. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003334354
Petronzi, D., Schalkwyk, G., & Petronzi, R. (2023). A pilot math anxiety storybook approach to normalize math talk in children and to support emotion regulation. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2023.2214591
DiStefano, M., Retanal, F., Bureau, J.-F., Hunt, T. E., Lafay, A., Osana, H. P., Schwarchuck, S.-L., Trepiak, P., Xu, C., LeFevre, J.-A., & Maloney, E. A. (2023). Relations between math achievement, math anxiety, and the quality of parent–child interactions while solving math problems. Education Sciences, 13, 307. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13030307
Terry, J……. Hunt, T. E……& Field, A. P. (2023). Data from an International MultiCentre Study of Statistics and Mathematics Anxieties and Related Variables in University Students (the SMARVUS Dataset). Journal of Open Psychology Data, 11: 8, pp. 1–25. https://doi.org/10.5334/jopd.80
Hunt, T. E., & Maloney, E. A. (2022). Appraisals of previous maths experiences play an important role in maths anxiety. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1-12, https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.14805
Batashvili, M., Cipora, K., & Hunt, T. E. (2022). Measurement of mathematics anxiety in an Israeli adult population. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 8(1), 148-165. https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.6531
Petronzi, D., Hunt, T. E. & Sheffield, D. (2021). Interventions to address mathematics anxiety: An overview and recommendations. In S.A . Kiray & E. Tomevska-Ilievska (Eds), Current Studies in Educational Disciplines (pp. 169–194). ISRES Publishing. Interventions to Address Mathematics Anxiety: An Overview and Recommendations | ISRES – International Society for Research in Education and Science
Hunt, T. E, Muwonge, C. M., Ashraf, F., Ansanjarani, F., Kotera, Y., Vione, K., Sheffield, D., Mir, R., & Waldron, M. (2021). Psychological barriers in maths education: Insights from Iran, Pakistan, and Uganda. University of Derby. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.36106.59844/1 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353294094_Psychological_barriers_in_maths_education_Insights_from_Iran_Pakistan_and_Uganda?utm_source=twitter&rgutm_meta1=eHNsLUtLUis5UHBoMFFoQnI3eGpBZWxRSEVrUE5kZVdxbzNDV3laL0ROa3lBZ3ZnTkJRblpobVpadktYWnl2eHVBbVRRNWxka3ZuSlBWbnRXQnpGQjNnUw%3D%3D
Dove, J., Montague, J., & Hunt, T. E. (2021). An exploration of primary school teachers’ maths anxiety using interpretative phenomenological analysis. International Online Journal of Primary Education (IOJPE), 10, 32-49. AN EXPLORATION OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ MATHS ANXIETY USING INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS | DOVE | International Online Journal of Primary Education (IOJPE) ISSN: 1300-915X (ijge.info)
Hunt, T. E., Simms, V., Cahoon, A., & Muwonge, C. M. (2021). Socio-cognitive-affective barriers to mathematics education in developing nations. In W. Leal Filho., P. Gökçin Özuyar., A. Lange Salvia., A. Marisa Azul., L. Londero Brandli., & T. Wall (Eds), Encyclopaedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Quality Education. Springer.
Sari, M., & Hunt, T. E. (2020). Parent-child mathematics affect as predictors of children’s mathematics achievement. International Online Journal of Primary Education, 9, 85-96. http://www.ijge.info/ojs/index.php/IOJPE/article/view/1027/935
Batashvili, M., Staples, P. A., Baker, I. S., & Sheffield, D. (2020). The neurophysiological relationship between number anxiety and the EEG gamma-band. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 32 (5-6), 580-585. doi: 10.1080/20445911.2020.1778006 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/20445911.2020.1778006?journalCode=pecp21
Batashvili, M., Staples, P. A., Baker, I. S., & Sheffield, D. (2019). Exploring the relationship between gamma-band activity and maths anxiety. Cognition and Emotion, 33, 1616 –1626. doi:10.1080/02699931.2019.1590317 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02699931.2019.1590317?scroll=top&needAccess=true
Hunt, T. E., & Sari, M. (2019). An English version of the Mathematics Teaching Anxiety Scale. International Journal of Assessment Tools in Education, 9, 85-96. doi: 10.21449/ijate.615640 https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1246252.pdf
Hunt, T. E., Bagdasar, O., Sheffield, D., & Schofield, M. (2019). Assessing domain specificity in the measurement of mathematics calculation anxiety. Education Research International. doi: 10.1155/2019/7412193 http://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/edri/2019/7412193.pdf
Petronzi, D., Staples, P., Sheffield, D., & Hunt, T.E. (2019). Acquisition, development and maintenance of maths anxiety in young children. In I. Mammarella., S. Caviola., & A. Dowker (Eds), Mathematics Anxiety. London: Routledge.
Petronzi, D., Staples, P., Sheffield, D., Hunt, T.E., & Fitton-Wilde, S. (2018). Further development of the children’s mathematics anxiety scale UK (CMAS-UK) for ages 4-7 years. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 100, 231-249. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10649-018-9860-1
Petronzi, D., Staples, P., Sheffield, D., Hunt, T. E., & Fitton-Wilde, S. (2017). Numeracy apprehension in young children: Insights from children aged 4-7 years and primary care providers. Psychology and Education, 54, 1-26. https://www.psychologyandeducation.net/pae/numeracy-apprehension-young-children-insights-children-aged-4-7-years-primary-care-providers-dominic-petronzi-bsc-hons-mres-phd-paul-staples-david-sheffield-thomas-hunt/
Hunt, T. E., Bhardwa, J., & Sheffield, D. (2017). Mental arithmetic performance, physiological reactivity and mathematics anxiety amongst U.K primary school children. Learning and Individual Differences, 57, 129-132. doi: 10.1016/j.lindif.2017.03.016 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1041608017300778
Hunt, T. E., & Sandhu, K. (2017). Endogenous and exogenous time pressure: Interactions with mathematics anxiety in explaining arithmetic performance. International Journal of Educational Research, 82, 91-98. doi: 10.1016/j.ijer.2017.01.005 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0883035516310977
Hunt, T. E., Clark-Carter, D., & Sheffield, D. (2014). Exploring the relationship between mathematics anxiety and performance: The role of intrusive thoughts. Journal of Education, Psychology and Social Sciences, 2, 69-75. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264905347_Exploring_the_relationship_between_mathematics_anxiety_and_performance_The_role_of_intrusive_thoughts
Hunt, T. E., Sheffield, D., & Clark-Carter, D. (2014). Exploring the relationship between mathematics anxiety and performance: An eye-tracking approach. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 29, 2, 226-231. doi: 10.1002/acp.3099 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/acp.3099
Richardson, M., Hunt, T. E., & Richardson, C. (2014). Children’s construction task performance and spatial ability: Controlling task complexity and predicting mathematics performance. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 119, 741-757. doi: 10.2466/22.24.PMS.119c28z8 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.2466/22.24.PMS.119c28z8
Hunt, T. E., Clark-Carter-D., & Sheffield, D (2011). The development and part validation of a U.K. scale for mathematics anxiety. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 29, 455-466. doi: 10.1177/0734282910392892 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0734282910392892
Sheffield, D., & Hunt, T.E. (2007). How does anxiety influence maths performance and what can we do about it? Mathematics Statistics and Operations Research Connections, 6 (4), 19-23. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258927649_How_Does_Anxiety_Influence_Maths_Performance_and_What_Can_We_do_About_It