Exploring Writing Anxiety and Strategies Through the Perspective of Social Cognitive Theory

Abstract

Writing anxiety is a common barrier to effective academic performance. This type of anxiety often reduces learners’ confidence and their willingness to participate in writing activities. Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between writing anxiety and strategies across behavioural, personal and environmental factors using Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory as a framework. A quantitative survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire with a 46-item Likert scale instrument adapted from Bandura (1977), Cheng (2004) and Raoofi et. al. (2017). This questionnaire has been randomly distributed to 223 diploma and degree students. The results revealed that students have moderate levels of cognitive and somatic anxiety, whereas avoidance behaviours appeared less prominent. Other than that, learners also showed frequent use of metacognitive, effort regulation, and cognitive strategies, supported by social and affective support. There was a significant relationship between personal and environmental factors, but no correlation with behavioural factors. Inferential tests showed a statistically significant difference in behaviour and personal strategies across levels of study, but no differences were found across courses. These results suggest that learners’ writing strategies, particularly self‑regulation and peer support, play a crucial role in mitigating writing anxiety. The study underscores the importance of integrating strategy‑based interventions and supportive environments to enhance writing confidence and performance.