The Influential Factors on Teaching Anxiety Using Decision Tree Analysis: A Case Study of EFL Teachers in Japanese Universities

This study aimed to examine three aspects of university English teachers (EFL teachers) in Japan: (i) the factors influencing the levels of teaching anxiety as perceived by the teachers, (ii) the extent to which these factors affect the levels of teaching anxiety, and (iii) the characteristics of teachers who are more prone to perceiving teaching anxiety than those who are less likely to perceive it. The analysis employed decision tree analysis, a machine learning method that classifies and predicts data by dividing them into branches. This approach presents the data in a tree diagram, which allows for the identification of factors influencing the target variable and their relative importance. The results of the analysis indicated that the factors influencing teaching anxiety, in descending order of impact, were: “Feeling fulfilled by research activities,” “Feeling anxiety about childbirth and childcare,” “Age,” and “Feeling that there are many administrative tasks apart from teaching and research activities.” This indicates that the anxiety experienced by university English teachers regarding their teaching role is not an isolated phenomenon but is closely interconnected with other aspects of their lives, including their workplace environment and personal life circumstances. Furthermore, it suggests that these influencing factors may reflect the intrinsic attributes associated with specific job responsibilities and the overarching philosophies of their affiliated institutions. Therefore, a comprehensive support system must be established at the organizational level to mitigate teaching anxiety. This system must consider the aforementioned variables. The findings of this study have the potential to provide effective strategies for English teachers to manage anxiety in similar contexts. These findings are anticipated to contribute to the development of comprehensive support mechanisms for educators.