scholarly journals Foreign Language Anxiety: Translating and Validating a Scale

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Murad M. Al-Shboul

The purpose of this study was to validate one of the most frequently used tools for assessing anxiety associated with foreign languages. The researcher translated it into Arabic because there was no Arabic literature on such an instrument. To achieve the goal, a committee approach was followed (Brislin, 1980) to ensure the validity of the translation. A sample of 102 students was purposefully selected from International Islamic University Malaysia. The instrument consists of 33 items to measure communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was run to validate the instrument; initially, the PCA produced ten-factor solutions, accounting for 71% of the total variance explained. However, the last nine factors had only two or three loadings each, and they had cross-loading as well. Therefore, only one factor was used in the final, which accounted for 51% of the total variance. The researcher took this factor due to its importance for the Arabic literature, which is also in need of a valid instrument to measure communication apprehension. Due to the lack of convergent validity in the other items, the researcher suggests validating the original instrument.

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 46-57
Author(s):  
Alheru Akbar ◽  
Dedi Sofyan ◽  
Indah Damayanti

This research attempted to find out the factors causing foreign language anxiety in speaking. This research was  carried out by employing descriptive quantitative design. The population of this research was the third semester students of English Education Study Program of University of Bengkulu in academic year 2017/2018. The samples of this research were taken by using total sampling tehcnique, i.e 79 students. The data were collected by questionnaire consisted of 29questions related to the anxiety. The results of this study showed that the students mostly had the anxiety. There were three factors that causing the anxiety of the students in speaking; Test Anxiety (Mildly Affected; Mean Score: 3.09), Fear of Negative Evaluation (Mildly Affected;Mean Score: 3.00), and Communication Apprehension (Mildly Affected; Mean Score: 2.90). In conclusion, there were three factors that causing the student’ anxiety in speaking, and the most dominant factors is the Test Anxiety.  In addition, from the test anxiety, it was found that mostly students were afraid of the consequences failing their speaking class


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 228-239
Author(s):  
Iman Nugroho ◽  
Fauzi Miftakh ◽  
Yuna Tresna Wahyuna

Due to pandemic covid-19, the learning setting has changed from face-to-face to an online learning environment to prevent the further spread of infection. This change mostly affected the state of psychological, specifically anxiety issues.  Specific anxiety called Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) appears as anxiety affiliates with foreign language learning. Despite foreign language anxiety is evidenced to be hinder students’ achievements, there are only a few studies that have explored FLA in an online setting. Therefore, by using a case study, this research paper tried to investigate the factors of speaking anxiety of 5 students from different anxiety levels. These students were selected from a total of 30 students using the Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), which later be interviewed and asked to write a reflective journal. The result showed that some sources of each categorical factor (communication apprehension, test anxiety, fear of negative evaluation) can be classified as inter-lingual or intra-lingual factors. Moreover, some sources of factors have developed to new manifestations due to learning setting’ shifting. Additionally, as a part of communication apprehension, teachers’ bad teaching habits appeared as the most common factor to arise students’ speaking anxiety. Therefore, this study suggests teachers to evaluate their teaching habits, to reduce the influence of bad teaching habits on the students’ speaking anxiety.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Asjad Ahmed Saeed Balla

This paper investigates the level of anxiety due to learning English as a foreign language. It tries to answer these questions: 1-Is anxiety a factor in hindering English proficiency? 2-Does anxiety lead to fear of communication? 3- Which type of anxiety is high among tertiary level female Saudi students? The Foreign Language Anxiety Classroom Scale (FLACS) used as an instrument. The data was collected and statistically analysed through SPSS. This paper revealed that anxiety was one of the major factors that impeded English proficiency. Besides, anxiety also caused fear of communication among the students. Furthermore, it was found that the learners had got a high level of communication apprehension that hindered their contact with their teachers and others. This was followed by test anxiety in which the students expected to fail their test. Students showed great fear of test as they feared to be negatively assessed by teachers, this fact had created great anxiety that influenced their attitudes and behaviour as well.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 136-149
Author(s):  
Nicola C. Newton ◽  
Lexine A. Stapinski ◽  
Katrina E. Champion ◽  
Maree Teesson ◽  
Kay Bussey

Background: The present study explored the reliability, validity, and factor structure of a modified version of the Moral Disengagement Scale (MDS), which comprehensively assesses proneness to disengage from different forms of conduct specific to Australian adolescents. Methods: A sample of 452 students (Mage = 12.79; SD = 1.93) completed the modified MDS and the Australian Self-Report Delinquency Scale. A multistep approach was used to evaluate the factor structure of the MDS. The sample was divided into exploratory (n = 221) and cross-validation samples (n = 231). Principal component analysis was conducted with the exploratory sample and multiple factor solutions compared to determine the optimal factor structure of the modified MDS. The final factor solution was confirmed in the cross-validation sample using confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency of the final scale and convergent validity with the delinquency questionnaire was also assessed. Results: Analyses resulted in a 22-item MDS for use in Australia, with four factors mapping onto the four conceptual categories of moral disengagement. The individual subscales demonstrated adequate to good internal consistency, and the total scale also demonstrated high internal consistency (α = 0.87). Convergent validity of the scale was established. Conclusions: The 22-item Australian MDS is a reliable and valid instrument for use within an Australian population.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. s287-s287
Author(s):  
M.J. Soares ◽  
A.T. Pereira ◽  
A. Araújo ◽  
D. Silva ◽  
J. Valente ◽  
...  

IntroductionThe Hewitt and Flett Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (H&F-MPS) is one of the most used measures of perfectionism. Their 45-items evaluate self-Oriented (SOP), Self-Prescribed (SPP), and Other Oriented (OOP) perfectionism.ObjectivesTo study the internal consistency and convergent validity of the H&F-MSP13.MethodsOne hundred and ninety-two university students (78.1% females), aged 19.74 years (sd = 2.10; range: 17–28) completed the Portuguese versions of H&F-MPS (Soares et al., 2003) and of Frost et al. MPS (F-MPS) (Amaral et al., 2013). Thirteen items were selected from the Portuguese version of the H&F-MPS, based on their loading in the factor (0.60 and over) (Soares et al., 2003).ResultsThe H&FMPS13 revealed good internal consistency (α = 0.816). The corrected item-total subscale Spearman's correlations were high (from 0.418 to 0.820). The principal component analysis with factors varimax rotation produced three factors, which revealed acceptable/good internal consistency (SOP: explained variance/EV = 35.4%, α = .900; SPP: EV = 16.3%, α = 0.695; OOP: EV = 10.8%, α = 0.709). The correlations between the H&F-MSP13 scores and the matching scores of the H&F-MPS were high (from r = 0.745 to r = 0.945, all P < .01), suggesting that both scales measure similarly the constructs. The H&F-MSP13 and the H&F-MPS total scores demonstrate good convergent validity with the total score of F-MPS, as indicated by the correlations (r = 0.581/r = 0.636, respectively). The correlations similarities between the H&F-MSP13 and H&F-MSP dimensions and the F-MPS dimensions and total scores were also considerable.ConclusionsThe H&F-MSP13 is a valid instrument to measure perfectionism that reveals convergent validity with the F-MPS, retaining the adequate psychometric properties of the H&F-MPS and its administration is less time consuming.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Norliani Norliani ◽  
Wulida Makhtuna

This study is to find out the influences of lecturers’ attitudes on foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) levels of students. The study has been carried out at the fifth semester students of English Departement of STKIP PGRI Banjarmsin academic year 2015/2016. The data have been collected by means of questionnaire and interview, designed to measure the FLCA levels. The aim of which is to obtain information about the effects of lecturers’ attitudes on students with different anxiety levels. FLCA tested on three dimensions, communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, and test anxiety. It was a five point likert’s scale questionnaire, ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Strongly agree was coded by (5) and strongly disagree was coded by (1). The interview and questionnaire were translated into Bahasa Indonesia to make it easy for students to understand. The result of the study have revealed that, in  the  classroom the level of anxiety increases by the influence of lecturers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina V. Gultyaeva ◽  
Dmitriy Y. Uryumtsev ◽  
Margarita I. Zinchenko ◽  
Vladimir N. Melnikov ◽  
Natalia V. Balioz ◽  
...  

Coordination of cardiovascular and respiratory systems enables a wide range of human adaptation and depends upon the functional state of an individual organism. Hypoxia is known to elicit changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide sensitivity, while training alters cardiorespiratory coordination (CRC). The delayed effect of high altitude (HA) acclimatization on CRC in mountaineers remains unknown. The objective of this study was to compare CRC in acute hypercapnia in mountaineers before and after a HA expedition. Nine trained male mountaineers were investigated at sea level before (Pre-HA) and after a 20-day sojourn at altitudes of 4,000–7,000 m (Post-HA) in three states (Baseline, Hypercapnic Rebreathing, and Recovery). A principal component (PC) analysis was performed to evaluate the CRC. The number of mountaineers with one PC increased Post-HA (nine out of nine), compared to Pre-HA (five out of nine) [Chi-square (df = 1) = 5.14, P = 0.023]; the percentage of total variance explained by PC1 increased [Pre-HA median 65.6 (Q1 64.9/Q3 74.9), Post-HA 75.6 (73.3/77.9), P = 0.028]. Post-HA, the loadings of the expired fraction of O2, CO2, and ventilation onto PC1 did not change, and the loading of heart rate increased [Pre-HA 0.64 (0.45/0.68) and Post-HA 0.76 (0.65/0.82), P = 0.038]. During the Recovery, the percentage of total variance explained by PC1 was higher than during the Baseline. Post-HA, there was a high correlation between the Exercise addiction scores and the eigenvalues of PC1 (r = 0.9, P = 0.001). Thus, acute hypercapnic exposure reveals the Post-HA increase in cardiorespiratory coordination, which is highly related to the level of exercise addiction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Abdullah Al Mamun

The prime objectives of this study were to unveil the level of anxiety and the sources of English language anxiety of the tertiary level students of Bangladesh. Through a questionnaire survey using Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale developed by Horwitz et al. (1986), the study found that most of the tertiary level learners have high anxiety of English as a foreign language. Based on an exploratory factor analysis with principal component analysis and varimax rotation (Kaiser Normalization), a four-factor (communication anxiety, comprehension and test anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and lack of anxiety) solution emerged. Following a close analysis of the EFA and other established valid models, the study found that six components, namely, speaking anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, peer pressure/social-image anxiety, comprehension-related anxiety, negative attitude towards class, and test anxiety were the main sources of anxiety, which need to be addressed for alleviating the anxiety of the students.


Author(s):  
Selami Aydin ◽  
Leyla Harputlu ◽  
Şeyda Savran Çelik ◽  
Özgehan Uştuk ◽  
Serhat Güzel

The number of studies on the relationship between certain demo- graphic variables, age, gender and grade, and the levels of foreign language anxiety (FLA) in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context regarding adult and young learners is fairly limited, whereas the findings obtained from prior studies did not reach a consensus on the influences of FLA, and studies mainly focused on adult language learners rather than young learners. This study aims to explore the effect of age, gender and grade differences on FLA and its types, communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation and test anxiety, among Turkish children who learn English as a foreign language. The participants were 494 children enrolled at primary and secondary schools. The data collection tools were a background questionnaire interrogating the variables mentioned and the Children’s Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (CFLAS). After computing the reliability coefficient of the scale and total variance, independent samples t-test and ANOVA were used to see the relationships between the levels of FLA and its types and subject variables, age, gender, and grade. The results showed that age, gender, and grade constitute significant differences regarding FLA and its types, when several items in the CFLAS were considered. In the light of findings, several practical recommendations are listed. 


Lire Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-49
Author(s):  
Megawati Basri ◽  
Fahmi Djaguna ◽  
Balqis Husain

One language that is a communication tool in various parts of the world is English; English has become a language that must be mastered by the community, especially students. However, not everyone can easily speak English. The purpose of this research is to know the level of anxiety when they speak in English at Universitas Ahmad Dahlan students. This research uses a qualitative method. One hundred and twenty seven students were selected as the participants of the questionnaire; the tool used for this study was adapted from Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope (1986) Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS). The result of this study was showed that the majority of the students (n=103) were found students had a moderate level of anxiety, one student had a very high level of anxiety and thirteen students were found to had a high level of anxiety. The level of anxiety by dimensions, such as the Fear of Negative Evaluation (FNE) ranks third. Meanwhile, Communication Apprehension (CA) and Test Anxiety (TA) are significantly dominant performance anxieties.


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