A Gamified Escape Room to Reduce Math Anxiety Among Elementary School Students

Abstract

Mathematics anxiety is a prevalent affective barrier that hinders elementary school students’ ability to engage with and succeed in mathematics, particularly in topics such as standard units of water volume measurement. This condition often leads to passive behavior, reduced confidence, and avoidance of mathematical tasks. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the Gamified Escape Room method in reducing mathematics anxiety among fourth-grade students at SD Negeri Ciherang 1. A quantitative approach using a pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design was employed, involving 35 participants selected through total sampling. The instrument used was the Modified Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (mAMAS), consisting of nine statements measured on a five-point Likert scale. The intervention integrated challenge-based educational games, group collaboration, and sequential problem-solving activities. The findings showed that the mean mathematics anxiety score decreased from 22.23 to 19.57, representing a reduction of 2.66 points. The paired-samples t-test revealed a significance value of 0.000 (p < 0.05) and a t-value of 5.968 with 34 degrees of freedom, confirming a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores. These findings suggest that gamification-based learning is effective in creating a more positive and enjoyable learning experience, reducing students’ mathematics anxiety, and supporting the development of numeracy literacy through interactive and collaborative problem-solving activities. The study implies that teachers may consider the Gamified Escape Room method as an alternative instructional strategy to foster a more comfortable and engaging mathematics learning environment.