Latent Class Analysis of Gender Difference in Perception of Foreign Language Anxiety

The present study examined foreign language anxiety in English undergraduate classes with the foreign language classroom anxiety scale (FLCAS) and learners’ variables (gender and reading achievement) within the framework of latent class analysis. The present study aimed to examine stability of factor structure of FLC AS and applicability of latent class analysis to investigate the existence of latent classes and interactions of latent classes with learners’ variables. The data was fi rst analyzed within the framework of the confirmatory factor analysis immediatel y following the explanatory factor analysis due to the inconsistency of the FLCAS factor structure. Latent classes between foreign language anxiety and learner variables were lat er examined. Results showed that accounting for underlying structures of foreign language anxiety could add additional information about the interaction between foreign language anxiety and learners’ variables. Implications of these findings were discussed to shed further light on FLCAS and language learning.