The correlation between elt students' listening anxiety, listening self-efficacy and listening comprehension in EFL

This study aims to explore the correlation between listening anxiety, listening self-efficacy, and listening comprehension among ELT students in an EFL context. The primary aim is to determine whether listening comprehension skills and listening self-efficacy are significant predictors of English listening anxiety and its sub-factors, namely "Tension and worry over English listening" and "Lack of confidence in listening." The research employs a correlational design, one of the quantitative research methods, and was conducted with 192 native Turkish-speaking students learning English at three universities. Data collection tools included a demographic information form, the Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale, the English Listening Self-Efficacy Scale, and a listening comprehension test. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses revealed that listening comprehension skills significantly predicted English listening anxiety and its sub-factors while listening self-efficacy did not. These findings suggest that improving listening comprehension skills can significantly reduce listening anxiety, but the role of self-efficacy is uncertain and requires further research. This study helps clarify the relationship between EFL students' listening self-efficacy, listening comprehension, and listening anxiety. It also offers suggestions for language educators on the importance of focusing on improving students' listening comprehension to reduce anxiety. Given the scarcity of literature examining these three variables collectively, this study is expected to fill this gap in the literature.