The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Writing Anxiety in Foreign Languages: A Case Study of Non-English Majors at a Chinese Institution

Abstract

Self-efficacy and writing anxiety are two important psychological characteristics of writing. This study investigates the relationship between self-efficacy and anxiety when writing in a foreign language. Writing anxiety is significantly negatively associated with self-efficacy, which is reflected in writing performance, according to empirical data analysis, and these two variables interact. The higher the anxiety in foreign language writing, the lower the self-efficacy. Therefore, this paper concludes that improving writers’ self-efficacy can help reduce writing anxiety, promote higher-quality writing performance, and improve writing ability. Based on the above, this article puts forward suggestions on how to alleviate writing anxiety by improving self-efficacy. This paper argues that college students can improve their self-efficacy by accumulating writing strategies, completing writing tasks in sections, and improving their writing skills. In addition, educators can help learners overcome anxiety through appropriate teaching methods, writing strategies, and interventions, as well as encouraging attitudes and positive feedback.