The main goal of the present study was to explore strategy selection in high mathematical anxiety (MA) individuals, and to test the role of development in the selection of strategy. We tested 2nd, 3rd and 5th graders with high or low MA in simple and complex addition problems. Participants first solved the problems and were then asked to report the strategy that they used. During elementary school, typically developing children change strategy use. In the first years backup strategies of counting are very frequent, but with maturation and schooling, they can shift to memory- based strategies. Hence, we tested finger counting and advanced memory based strategies in high MA children. In finger counting, high MA children showed developmental delay. For example, in the third grade, low MA children stopped using finger counting, while high MA participants continued to use it. However, in the case of advanced strategy use, we found a different pattern: regardless of age, high MA children used less advanced strategies than low MA participants. Moreover, usage of advanced memory based strategies was modulated by visuospatial working memory abilities in the two groups. The present results suggest that the MA participant has atypical developmental trajectories in strategy use.

本研究的主要目的是探索高数学焦虑（MA）个体中的策略选择，并测试发展在策略选择中的作用。我们在简单和复杂的加法问题中测试了具有较高或较低MA的2年级，3年级和5年级学生。参与者首先解决了问题，然后被要求报告他们使用的策略。在小学期间，通常，发展中的孩子会改变策略的使用。在头几年，计数的备用策略非常频繁，但是随着成熟和教育的发展，它们可以转向基于内存的策略。因此，我们在高MA儿童中测试了手指计数和基于高级记忆的策略。在手指计数中，高MA儿童表现出发育迟缓。例如，在三年级时，低MA的孩子停止使用手指计数，高MA参与者继续使用它。但是，在采用高级策略的情况下，我们发现了一种不同的模式：无论年龄大小，高MA的孩子使用的高级策略都比低MA的参与者少。此外，两组的视觉空间工作记忆能力可调节基于高级记忆的策略的使用。目前的结果表明，MA参与者在策略使用中具有非典型的发展轨迹。