The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on foreign language learning anxiety among university students

For many students, foreign language anxiety can be a paralyzing condition that prevents learners from fully learning and slows the use of their second language in communication. Past studies have confirmed the effectiveness of psychological therapies in alleviating anxiety-based disorders. At the same time, there is a lack of studies, particularly in cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBT) on foreign language learning anxiety. The study aimed to explore the efficiency of cognitive-behavioral group therapy in reducing foreign language learning anxiety among young adults. This pretest–posttest with a control group study was conducted with sixty eligible English-preparatory university students with noticeable foreign language learning anxiety selected as a sample by purposive sampling and randomized to an intervention and a control group into equal numbers. The Bangla version of the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Questionnaire (FLCAS) was used to measure foreign language learning anxiety at baseline and post-intervention. The obtained data were subsequently analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, and repeated measures with between-groups multivariate variance analysis (MANOVA) with effect size. The results revealed that over time, in the intervention group, communication nervousness, fear of negative appraisal, test anxiety, and overall foreign language learning anxiety considerably dropped. In contrast, these issues remained steady in the control group. The findings reflected the benefits of CBT in groups by considering its limitations which might be regarded as a practical treatment option for alleviating foreign language learning anxiety in clinical settings among youth in developing countries. Therapeutic ramifications for reducing anxiety-based issues in both research and practice are explained.