The effects of trait mindfulness on Chinese EFL learners’ public speaking anxiety

While foreign language anxiety (FLA) is prevalent and has received wide attention for decades, the anxiety regarding the specific skill of public speaking has been less-explored. This study explored the correlations among the variables of trait mindfulness, psychological capital (PsyCap), and public speaking anxiety (PSA) among undergraduates who learned English as a foreign language (EFL) in China. A cross-sectional survey was administered to non-English major students in three universities, and 492 valid questionnaires were gathered. Partial least structural equation modeling was utilized for data analysis. The results showed that trait mindfulness was negatively correlated with PSA, and that PsyCap served as a partial mediator bridging the beneficial effect of trait mindfulness on PSA. The findings of this study provide insight into the mechanism of PSA management, and some tentative recommendations were offered for foreign language education.