Examining the Role of Foreign Language Anxiety Through Multidimensional Psychometric Tools: Using CFA and ESEM to Model Speaking, Test, and Listening Anxiety and Their Effects on Performance

Foreign language anxiety (FLA) is a multidimensional psychological construct that plays a decisive role in shaping learners’ cognitive processing, motivation, and academic performance. Yet, most existing studies rely on oversimplified measurement models that treat FLA as a monolithic entity. The present study expands this research by applying Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM) to investigate three core dimensions of FLA—speaking anxiety, test anxiety, and listening anxiety—and their predictive power on performance outcomes. A sample of ۳۵۰ English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners completed a multidimensional anxiety questionnaire and a standardized proficiency test. CFA results supported the three-factor structure; however, ESEM demonstrated superior fit and revealed meaningful cross-loadings, highlighting the intertwined nature of affective variables. Structural models showed that speaking anxiety had the strongest negative effect on oral proficiency, listening anxiety significantly impaired listening comprehension, and test anxiety predicted weaker writing and grammar performance. Findings emphasize the need for adopting flexible psychometric models in language anxiety research and the value of differentiated pedagogical interventions for distinct anxiety dimensions.

کلیدواژه ها:

foreign language anxiety ، speaking anxiety ، test anxiety ، listening anxiety ، CFA ، ESEM ، SEM ، performance