Psychometric Validation of the Mandarin Foreign Language Anxiety Scale in Malaysian Public Universities

Mandarin Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (MFLAS) is an adapted scale designed to measure anxiety among Mandarin foreign language learners. The scale has been validated in two public universities in the United States; however, the validity and reliability of the scale in an Asian context has remained uncertain. Therefore, this study aims to fill this gap by testing the psychometric properties of the adapted scale within the Malaysian context. A quantitative research approach was adopted to assess the validity and reliability of MFLAS. A total of 614 undergraduates learning Mandarin as a foreign language in Malaysian public universities participated in this study. Cronbach’s alpha analysis was conducted to evaluate the internal consistency of the scale. Furthermore, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were conducted to evaluate and confirm the construct validity of the scale. The MFLAS showed acceptable internal consistency (α = .84). CFA confirmed the three-factor structure of the scale, with most items having standardized factor loadings above 0.5 for three factors: Speaking, Listening, and Classroom Anxiety. The study contributed to the literature on the foreign language anxiety in Asia. The revised MFLAS, as a valid and reliable tool offered a valuable resource for educators and researchers to evaluate and address foreign language anxiety among Mandarin foreign language learners. The findings of this study also provide insights that could inform the Ministry of Education and contribute to improving Mandarin language instruction in Malaysia.