MAPPING THE RESEARCH LANDSCAPE OF MINDFULNESS INTERVENTION AND MATHEMATICS ANXIETY: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS

Abstract

The growing recognition of affective factors in mathematics learning has positioned mindfulness interventions as a promising approach to mitigating mathematics anxiety and enhancing academic performance. Despite increasing scholarly attention, the research landscape remains fragmented, with limited synthesis of publication trends, influential works, thematic developments, as well as global collaboration patterns. Accordingly, this investigation seeks to delineate the intellectual configuration and developmental trajectory of scholarship concerning mindfulness-based interventions and mathematics anxiety through a rigorous bibliometric examination. The dataset was extracted from the Scopus database via advanced search protocols anchored on the principal terms “mindfulness intervention” and “mathematics anxiety,” producing a final corpus of 230 scholarly works covering the period from 1980 through May 2026. The analytical procedure incorporated Scopus Analyzer for initial metric assessment, OpenRefine for systematic data refinement and normalization, and VOSviewer for bibliometric network mapping, encompassing co-authorship structures, co-citation linkages, and keyword co-occurrence patterns. The results demonstrate a pronounced escalation in publication productivity, especially post-2017, reaching its highest levels in recent years, indicating growing academic interest driven by the integration of psychological well-being in education. Highly cited articles are predominantly grounded in cognitive and educational psychology, emphasizing constructs such as working memory, attention, and emotion regulation. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identifies “anxiety,” “mathematics learning,” and “mathematics education” as dominant themes, alongside emerging areas such as mindfulness, self-regulated learning, and executive function. Country-level collaboration networks highlight the dominance of the United Kingdom, the United States, as well as Canada, while other regions exhibit comparatively limited international integration. Overall, the study delivers a structured and comprehensive survey of the field, demonstrating its transition from a niche research area to an expanding interdisciplinary domain. The findings contribute meaningful perspectives for educators, researchers, alongside policymakers by highlighting research gaps, key trends, as well as opportunities for future investigation in mindfulness-based approaches to reducing mathematics anxiety.