Bridging Mindfulness and Mathematics-Related Affect: Extending the Role of Conditional Task

This study presents a secondary analysis of experimental data from Yi et al. (2024), shifting the focus to the cumulative affective consequences of a ten-lesson intervention. While the previous study established that conditional tasks embedded with uncertainty foster students’ mindfulness, it remained unclear how such cognitive shifts translate into broader affective outcomes. Using a quasi-experimental design, students were assigned to one of three groups in regular mathematics classes: a control group (conventional textbook-based tasks), and two experimental groups receiving different frequences of conditional tasks (one per lesson vs. three to four per lesson). A repeated measures two-way ANOVA revealed a significant discrepancy in developmental trajectories: while the control group’s mathematics-related affect declined, both experimental groups exhibited significant increases. These findings suggest that the pedagogical benefits of conditional tasks extend beyond mindfulness, offering a robust intervention to enhance students’ overall affective experiences in mathematics.