Exploring Lavender Aromatherapy in Reducing Math Anxiety to Improve Test Scores in Solving Math Problems

This study determined the effect of aromatherapy using lavender oil in reducing math anxiety before and during math problem solving activity among Grade 11students. The experimental group was confined in an air-conditioned room withthree pieces of aroma humidifier to centralize the effect of lavender oil placed instrategic airflow ends. The experimental group was exposed in an hour inside theclassroom during their math problem solving activity. The control group was giventhe same math problems simultaneously without lavender aromatherapy in aseparate ventilated room. The 30 item Math Anxiety Scale was pilot tested among178 students with a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.89. The mean on the level of mathanxiety of the experimental group before the treatment is relatively higher(MD=3.92174) than the level of their math anxiety after the treatment (MD=2.565).The result revealed that lavender aromatherapy has a significant effect (p-.001) inreducing math anxiety. It may also help the students to perform better in otherrelated subjects causing them anxiety