The Role of Emotional Validation in Math Classrooms

• In Event: New Frameworks, Methods, and Teaching Strategies for Understanding and Addressing Emotions in Mathematics Classrooms

Abstract

Purpose

Teachers and researchers often respond to student difficulty with cognitive explanations and instructional strategies. Common psychological approaches such as growth mindset messaging (Dweck, 2006), and productive struggle (Hiebert & Grouws, 2007), emphasize persistence. However, these strategies frequently overlook students’ emotional experiences. We argue that emotional validation, defined as acknowledging a student’s feelings without rushing to fix or reinterpret them, is a neglected but essential part of emotionally responsive teaching. This matters in mathematics classrooms, where academic risks often feel especially high stakes. Students may hesitate to seek help if their emotions are not seen or supported. The goal is to reframe help-seeking not just as a matter of instructional clarity or mindset, but as a relational act shaped by whether students feel emotionally safe enough to be vulnerable.

Theoretical Framework

This project draws on theories of emotional validation from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (Linehan, 1993), which defines validation as recognizing and communicating that another’s emotional experience is understandable and acceptable. Validation serves both regulatory and relational functions (Shenk & Fruzzetti, 2011), helping students manage emotions and feel connected. The work also connects to Gross’s process model of emotion regulation (2015), which suggests that interpersonal cues can shape individuals’ ability to manage affect and pursue goals.
Modes of Inquiry. We report findings from two developmental studies and one study of higher education faculty. Study 1 was an experiment with children aged 3 to 6 (N = 68), testing whether children preferred to seek help from validating versus invalidating adults. The second study presented college instructors with a vignette of a struggling student and analyzed their spontaneous responses as well as their evaluations of peer responses that were either emotion-focused or problem-focused.

Data Sources

In Study 1, children watched videos of two adults, one emotionally validating and one invalidating, and then chose which adult they would approach for help. In the faculty study, professors rated emotion-focused responses (e.g., “I know this must be upsetting”) as more effective (47 percent) than problem-focused ones (25 percent), though their own responses were typically problem-centered.
Results. Across both child and adult samples, emotional validation emerged as a developmentally sensitive and socially meaningful cue. Older children were more likely to seek help from validating adults, and faculty recognized the value of validation even when they did not produce it themselves. These responses were both noticed and valued by learners and supported more adaptive academic behavior.

Significance

These findings support the need for instructional practices that integrate emotional and academic support. In math education, emotionally responsive approaches can foster help-seeking and engagement by creating a climate of trust. Supporting teachers in using validating responses alongside problem-solving strategies can better support students’ motivation and persistence.

Authors

• Gerardo Ramirez, Ball State University

• Daeun Park, Sungkyunkwan University