Resumen de Multilingual effects on EFL learning: a comparison of foreign language anxiety and self-confidence experienced by bilingual and multilingual tertiary students

Elias Bensalem, Amy S. Thompson

• The present project examined foreign language anxiety (FLA) and self-confidence experienced by bilingual and multilingual tertiary students in Saudi Arabia who were learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). The study involved 354 students (163 bilinguals and 191 multilinguals) recruited from public Saudi universities. Participants answered the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS; Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope 1986, “Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety.” The Modern Language Journal 70 (2): 125–132). Results of an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) identified two dimensions underlying FLA: ‘English class performance anxiety’ and ‘confidence with English’ Analyses of the data revealed that the bilingual students experienced more FLA than their multilingual peers; however, they also experienced more self-confidence. The present study provides empirical evidence of the role played by multilingualism in the Saudi context in terms of FLA and self-confidence.