Exploring xenoglossophobia: How subjective socio-demographic status and language experience relate to foreign language classroom anxiety?

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the association between sociodemographic factors and language anxiety in multilingual individuals. Four hundred seventeen participants, aged 16 to 45 years (M=23.38, SD=7.18), who were studying various foreign languages, were surveyed using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale. Additionally, participants completed a demographic questionnaire assessing the number of languages spoken, self-perceived language proficiency, age of language acquisition, time spent abroad, and subjective socioeconomic status (SES). The results revealed that females experienced higher levels of fear of negative evaluation, communication apprehension, and test anxiety compared to males. Fear of negative evaluation was predicted by current SES and self-perceived language proficiency, whereas communication apprehension was positively predicted by current SES and negatively predicted by overall self-rated proficiency score. The test anxiety was predicted by language learning duration and current SES. Lastly, both fear of negative evaluation and communication apprehension exhibited the lowest levels when participants belonged to a beneficial socioeconomic group. Concerning the third component, lower socioeconomic status was associated with higher levels of test anxiety.