Anxiety Reduction Training and EFL Learners' Foreign Language Anxiety and Negative Emotions.

This study examines the effectiveness of anxiety reduction training on Chinese learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), focusing on its impact on foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) and related negative and positive academic emotions. Using a quasi-experimental design, 60 Chinese undergraduate EFL learners with high FLCA scores were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups; the experimental group received a 10-session anxiety reduction training package incorporating techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation, mindfulness meditation, and cognitive restructuring. Results from multivariate analyses indicate that the training significantly reduced negative emotions, communication anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, test anxiety, and anxiety related to English classes, while enhancing positive academic emotions. The study suggests that incorporating anxiety reduction interventions into EFL teaching can improve learners' emotional well-being and language learning outcomes, recommending further research on long-term effects and broader educational applications.