The impact of anxiety and stress as two destructive factors on the development of English reading comprehension as a foreign language among Iranian learners: a review of research findings

This is a narrative review of literature in an attempt to probe the role of anxiety and stress as two major hindrances in developing English reading comprehension among Iranian EFL learners. It synthesizes findings from a diverse range of empirical studies explaining how such affective factors impede the process of language acquisition, especially through reading. Results of this review also identified anxiety in the forms of test anxiety and communication apprehension and stress-finite, often due to high-stakes testing and societal pressures, interrelated yet distinct. This review brings out the distinct yet interrelated nature of anxiety—manifesting as test anxiety and communication apprehension—and stress, often arising from high-stakes testing and societal pressures. The empirical evidence is very clear that both anxiety and stress have negative effects on cognitive processing, which in turn leads to poor reading comprehension and heightened avoidance behaviors among students. Unique cultural and social dynamics in Iran only make the challenges deteriorate further, thus increasing the pressures on learners. The current review has also underlined some of the coping strategies in use to reduce adverse effects of anxiety and stress: these include classroom-based supportive classroom environments and adoption of mindfulness techniques. This is, therefore, a call for educators to help students overcome these emotional barriers that hinder reading comprehension and, generally, language proficiency. This study will, therefore, contribute to the great discourse in language acquisition and offer insights valuable for future research and pedagogical practices seeking to create an ever-conducive learning environment for Iranian EFL learners.

کلیدواژه ها:

Anxiety ، Stress ، Reading Comprehension ، English as a Foreign Language ، Iranian Learners ، Language Learning