| This study identified distinctive language anxiety factors and developed a language anxiety test which is composed of subscales designed to measure each factor separately. First, potentially distinctive language anxiety factors were determined based on sixteen foreign/second language acquisition experts' categorizations of items included in the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS, E. K. Horwitz, M. B. Horwitz and J. Cope, 1986). A categorical analysis (T. T. Frantz, 1967) of the experts' categorizations suggested that the FLCAS included items for twelve potential language anxiety categories, as well as somewhat unclear and/or irrelevant items, which were eliminated. Those twelve categories were: (I) General Speaking Anxiety; (II) Fear of Being Called on; (III) Teacher/Lack of Understanding Anxiety; (IV) Preparation Anxiety; (V) Fear of Being Inferior to Peers; (VI) Impromptu Speaking Anxiety; (VII) General Foreign Language Class Anxiety; (VIII) Native Speaker Anxiety; (IX) Public Speaking Anxiety; (X) Low Self-confidence about Formal Learning Ability; (XI) Foreign Language Test Anxiety; (XII) Grade Anxiety. The first version of the language anxiety test which consisted of these twelve categories was then developed. Truly distinctive language anxiety factors were determined by factor-analyzing the responses of 315 college Spanish-as-a-foreign-language students on this test. The results showed that there were only four major factors: Factor 1, Speaking Anxiety; Factor 2, Low Self-confidence about Foreign Language Ability; Factor 3, Foreign Language Test Anxiety; Factor 4, Native Speaker Anxiety. All of the four speaking-related anxiety categories collapsed into Factor 1, indicating that Speaking Anxiety is One construct. A total of three revisions were made, involving an additional 454 students. The language anxiety test was improved in phases, and the reliability and validity analyses of the final version showed that it has satisfactory qualities. |
