towards testing a model to reduce writing anxiety: learners’ personal epistemology, self-regulatory skill and writing self-efficacy in focus

This study aimed to test a model to predict factors affecting second language writing anxiety (l2wa) among learners of english as a foreign language (efl). to conduct the study, a model was proposed to hypothesize how learners’ personal epistemology (lpe), self-regulatory skill (srs), and writing self-efficacy (wse) can predict l2wa. in so doing, a sample of 240 efl learners was given the four self-report scales measuring the variables under investigation. as for the statistical analysis, structural equation modeling was run to test the fit of the hypothesized model. the scales were emailed to the target groups during the pandemic covid 19. the results indicated that lpe and wse accounted for 43% of the variance in l2wa. besides srs and lpe could account for 40% of the l2wa. the findings revealed that students who had a higher level of lpe seemed to have a greater l2wa, and those who had a higher level of wse and srs experienced less l2wa. notably, it was uncovered that although all predictors had a unique effect on l2wa, srs and wse were the stronger predictors in reducing the l2wa. the results have implications in l2 classrooms. the findings suggest that language policy makers should be aware to foster learners’ self-efficacy and self-regulatory skill in the learning process.