English Majors’ Perceptions of Psychological Difficulties in English Speaking at a University in Vietnam

English is the most widely spoken language in the world, and its mastery is pursued by university students across various disciplines, including those majoring in English and others from different fields. Effective English speaking skills are essential for communication, yet achieving proficiency can be challenging. This study aimed to explore university students’ perceptions of the psychological difficulties they encountered while speaking English. With a mixed-method design, this research collected data through questionnaires administered to 290 university students and semi-structured interviews conducted with ten respondents. The results revealed that participants experienced psychological difficulties at a moderate level (M=2.9). Specifically, EFL students were confronted with anxiety, fear of making mistakes, shyness, and lack of confidence in their speaking. If university students are aware of the difficulties they face in mastering English speaking skills, they can find solutions to overcome these impediments. This will help them improve their English speaking abilities.