Development and Validation of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety Scale in light of Facilitative and Debilitative Anxiety

The present study aimed to develop and validate a foreign language speaking anxiety scale (FLSAS) based on facilitative and debilitative types of anxiety. A quantitative-deductive approach for a sample size of 347 language learners was adopted to accomplish the objectives of this research. The assessment of the structural model of FLSA as a composite second order construct was conducted using PLS_SEM. Moreover, confirmatory composite analysis was performed to establish nomological validity. The results indicated that the scale can be best explained by the five constructs of communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, test anxiety, speech motivation, and self-confidence. The findings revealed that fear of negative evaluation, which previously has been proven to have debilitative effect on student’s performance, have a facilitative effect on student’s speaking efficiency. In the end, the results were discussed and implications of the scale were presented.