WASHINGTON — New research suggests that math-anxious parents can pass on math anxiety to children, even though they’re trying to be helpful.

University of Chicago psychologists say first- and second-graders are more likely to learn less, and become more anxious about math, over the course of a school year if math-anxious parents help with their math homework frequently.

The study, which involved 438 children and their primary caregivers, found no such impact on children of math-anxious parents who were less involved with homework help.

That makes the study authors believe that the reason children and parents share math anxiety has less to do with genetics than environment, and that parental adjustments might help.

Math-anxious parents can try approaching math with kids in positive ways, the researchers say — by using traditional board games, computer games, or fun smartphone apps.

Parents Magazine agrees that math apps can be useful, not only to reinforce basic concepts but to spark a love for learning math.