Anxiety Reduction Training and EFL Learners’ Foreign Language Anxiety and Negative Emotions

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of anxiety reduction training on Chinese EFL learners’ foreign language anxiety and negative emotions, aiming to enhance their language learning experience and outcomes. This quasi-experimental study randomly assigned 60 Chinese EFL learners with high Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA) scores to control and experimental groups. Pretest and posttest assessments using validated instruments measured the effectiveness of a 10-session anxiety reduction training package on participants’ foreign language anxiety and negative emotions. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The key findings have revealed that anxiety reduction training significantly influenced positive emotions, negative emotions, communication anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, test anxiety, and anxiety of English classes in Chinese EFL learners. It is suggested that educators should consider incorporating such interventions into their teaching practices to enhance students’ emotional well-being and language learning outcomes. Future research should explore the long-term effects of anxiety reduction training and its potential applications in diverse educational contexts.