Effects of multidimensional foreign language reading anxiety on achievement in Japanese EFL classrooms

A fine-grained understanding of individual differences in reading in English as a foreign language (EFL) is critical because a significant amount of EFL reading is essential for successful EFL learning. This study examined the effects of multidimensional EFL reading anxiety on learners’ achievement in EFL classrooms. In a preliminary study, an item pool comprising approximately 150 statements was compiled and tested with multidimensional item response theory for the assessment of cognitive, metacognitive, and classroom aspects of perceived EFL reading anxiety. The main study provided evidence of the replicability of the multidimensionality of EFL reading anxiety and its differential effects on EFL reading proficiency and course achievement. The results showed that cognitive anxiety influenced EFL reading proficiency negatively, but not course achievement. Classroom anxiety inhibited EFL course achievement more strongly than did reading proficiency. Metacognitive anxiety was a significant predictor of both EFL reading proficiency and course achievement. Mediation analysis revealed that although the anxiety scales partly reflected learners’ levels of EFL reading proficiency, the direct effects of EFL reading anxiety on course achievement were still significant. Theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical implications are discussed with respect to the multidimensional model of EFL reading anxiety.