The Effects of Foreign Language Anxiety on Academic Self-Concept and Achievement Motivation

Abstract

The aim of the present study was twofold; First, to explore the effects of foreign language anxiety (FLA) on academic self-concept (ASC) and achievement motivation (AM). Second, to investigate whether gender, academic achievement and academic level interact with foreign language anxiety, academic self-concept, and achievement motivation among EFL university students. The study recruited randomly 309 students (135 males and 174 females) from the Department of English Language and Literature at a Jordanian university. Data were gathered during the first semester of the academic year 2021 / 2022. The study adopted a quantitative approach in which the researchers used five-point Likert scales to examine the participants’ foreign language anxiety, academic self-concept and achievement motivation. The results of the study revealed high mean scores of foreign language anxiety, academic self-concept and achievement motivation. However, foreign language anxiety score was the highest. Moreover, a large negative significant correlation between academic self-concept, achievement motivation and foreign language anxiety variables was detected. Additionally, foreign language anxiety showed a collective significant effect explaining 32.5% of the variation in the academic self-concept and achievement motivation. Finally, the results showed a significant statistical difference in foreign language anxiety and academic self-concept in favor of female students.