Reliability and validity of the level and causes of English writing anxiety instrument among Chinese junior high school students / Shumei He, Boon Yih Mah and Chin Shuang Goh

Anxiety, an emotional factor, detrimentally affects learning by hindering cognitive progress. Numerous studies have revealed its negative impact on language learning, particularly among Chinese junior high school students who often find English, especially writing, challenging. Unfortunately, English writing is not given the attention it deserves in their language learning journey. As a result, students tend to evade or even feel anxious when it comes to English writing. Moreover, there's a significant gap in reliable tools to assess the levels and causes behind this English writing anxiety among Chinese junior high school students. Hence, this study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Level and Causes of English Writing Anxiety Instrument among 57 EFL students from a Guangzhou junior high school through a survey. The Level and Causes of English Writing Anxiety Instruments, consisting of items related to the level and causes of EFL writing anxiety, were administered to the participants. Cronbach's alpha coefficient and KMO & Bartlett’s Test were used to measure the reliability and validity of the instruments. The findings revealed that the instruments demonstrated good reliability and validity, making them valuable tools for understanding and addressing EFL writing anxiety among these students. Researchers and educators can utilise these instruments to develop effective interventions and enhance students' writing performance, addressing this significant educational challenge.