Factors associated with foreign language writing anxiety

This study investigated the relationships among students' perceptions of their second language (L2) writing anxiety and various learner differences and among L2 writing anxiety and other forms of language anxiety. Four language anxiety scales and a background information questionnaire were used to collect data. Regression analysis results indicated that perceived L2 writing competence predicts L2 writing anxiety better than L2 writing achievement does. Correlation analysis results suggested that L2 writing anxiety is distinct from L1 writing anxiety. ANOVA results demonstrated that female students in this study reported experiencing significantly higher levels of L2 writing anxiety than male students. No significant difference in reported anxiety level was found among freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, although L2 writing anxiety appeared to increase linearly with increased time of study. The findings suggest that, for foreign language teachers, fostering students' positive and realistic perception of their writing competence is as important as developing students' writing skills. Furthermore, the results indicate a need for further research on the development of L2 writing anxiety and the relationship between L1 and L2 writing anxiety.