Language self-efficacy, foreign language anxiety and program satisfaction among university students in a preparatory program

The purpose of this study is to examine the English self-efficacy, foreign language anxiety and satisfaction with the program of university students studying in an English preparatory program and the relationship between these factors. In this mixed method study, 125 students from Mardin Artuklu University 2023-2024 English Preparatory Program participated in the quantitative phase and 11 students participated in the qualitative phase. The quantitative data of the study were collected using the "Questionnaire of Self-Efficacy (QESE)" by Wang et al. (2012), "Short form of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (S-FLCAS)" by Botes et al. (2020) and "Foreign Language Lesson Satisfaction Scale (FLSS)" by Taşgın & Korucuk (2018). The findings revealed that students' self-efficacy and satisfaction levels were high but anxiety was found to be moderate. Although gender had no significant effect on self-efficacy, anxiety or satisfaction levels, both language proficiency and academic achievement levels significantly affected self-efficacy and anxiety. Structural equation modeling revealed that foreign language anxiety negatively predicted all dimensions of self-efficacy, while satisfaction with the curriculum positively affected students' perceived proficiency. The thematic analysis of the semi-structured interviews revealed that students attributed their sources of self-efficacy to factors such as preparatory education, exposure to English, and practice. The prominent sources of anxiety were identified as communication anxiety, lack linguistic competence, personality traits, and professional concerns. Considering satisfaction, factors as instructor quality, program structure, and technology integration were key contributors. Finally, students suggested more emphasis on speaking skills, adjustments in lesson intensity, and more individualized learning opportunities. Key words: Self-efficacy, foreign language anxiety, course satisfaction, English preparatory programme, foreign language teaching, affective factors