Factors and Extent of English Speaking Anxiety among Undergraduate Students Dhonburi Rajabhat University Samutprakan

Abstract

This quantitative study aimed to investigate the factors associated with English-speaking anxiety and the level of anxiety among undergraduate students at Dhonburi Rajabhat University, Samutprakan. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 400 students selected through multi-stage non-probability sampling, which utilized quota sampling based on the proportion of students in each faculty and was followed by convenience sampling.

The results revealed a notable key finding: the supporting factors related to the learner (M=1.60), instruction (M=1.95), and family (M=1.25) were all rated as "low" or "lowest" levels, whereas students' overall level of English-speaking anxiety was found to be "high" (M=3.75). This conclusion was substantiated by multiple regression analysis, which indicated that the studied factors accounted for only 5.0% of the variance in anxiety (R2=0.050).  

This finding indicates that the students' anxiety is not mainly influenced by external environmental factors. Instead, it appears to be rooted in strong internal psychological factors, such as the fear of negative evaluation and lack of confidence in communication, which are consistent with Foreign Language Anxiety theory. Consequently, policy recommendations should focus on directly strengthening students' psychological resilience. This includes building self-confidence, developing a positive attitude towards making mistakes, and providing counseling to address internal fears, thereby enhancing communication skills.