The Mediating Role of Self-Disclosure in the Relationship Between Masculine Gender Role Stress and Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety

Abstract

The excessive anxiety male EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students feel in their foreign language classrooms may have considerable drawbacks on their verbal and productive performances. This study aims to investigate the mediating role of self-disclosure in the relationship between masculine gender role stress and foreign language classroom anxiety. This research embraced a quantitative research design by utilizing a survey. Data were collected from male Turkish EFL learners (n = 227). Male gender was determined through self-identification. A closed-ended questionnaire including a demographic part and three scales was administered: Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety, Masculine Gender Role Stress, and Self-disclosure. The findings were analyzed by using Pearson Correlation Test and the mediation model proposed by Hayes (2018). There was a positive and significant correlation between masculine gender role stress and foreign language classroom anxiety. Also, each of these two variables had a negative and significant correlation with self-disclosure. Further, self-disclosure mediated the relationship between masculine gender role stress and foreign language classroom anxiety. These findings suggest that the excessive masculine gender role stress that participants possess in language classrooms is likely to decrease their self-disclosure skills, which might increase their foreign language classroom anxiety.