Heidarzadi Mohamad, Barjesteh Hamed, Nasrollahi Mouziraji Atefeh
Department of English Language and Literature, Ayatollah Amoli Branch, Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran.
Front Psychol. 2022 Apr 25;13:850243. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.850243. eCollection 2022.
This study was carried out to investigate the roles of epistemic beliefs (EBs) and writing self-efficacy (WSE) in predicting second language writing anxiety (L2WA) among learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). To this end, three validated scales were distributed among 240 EFL students. They were asked to complete the questionnaires during their regular courses. A structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was utilized to analyze the hypothesized SEM model and the causal paths among the constructs. The direct and indirect path analyses of the hypothesized model indicated that EBs and WSE accounted for 43% of the variance in L2WA. Although both constructs (i.e., EBs and WSE) had a significant effect on L2WA, EBs turned out to be a robust predictor of increasing L2WA. Notably, it was revealed that learners' EBs directly and significantly influenced their L2WA. Besides, the results indicated that WSE had a unique effect in reducing L2WA. More precisely, students who had a higher level of EBs seemed to have a greater L2WA, and those who had a higher level of WSE experienced less L2WA. The findings of this explanatory study suggest that L2 teachers and material developers should pay serious attention to the Students' cognitive and affective variables as they were known to be significant factors in influencing L2WA.
本研究旨在调查认知信念（EBs）和写作自我效能感（WSE）在预测作为外语的英语（EFL）学习者的第二语言写作焦虑（L2WA）方面所起的作用。为此，在240名EFL学生中发放了三个经过验证的量表。要求他们在常规课程期间完成问卷。采用结构方程模型（SEM）方法来分析假设的SEM模型以及各构念之间的因果路径。对假设模型的直接和间接路径分析表明，EBs和WSE占L2WA变异的43%。虽然这两个构念（即EBs和WSE）对L2WA都有显著影响，但EBs被证明是L2WA增加的一个有力预测因素。值得注意的是，研究发现学习者的EBs直接且显著地影响他们的L2WA。此外，结果表明WSE在降低L2WA方面有独特作用。更确切地说，认知信念水平较高的学生似乎有更大的L2WA，而写作自我效能感水平较高的学生经历的L2WA较少。这项解释性研究的结果表明，L2教师和教材开发者应认真关注学生的认知和情感变量，因为已知这些是影响L2WA的重要因素。
