A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Foreign Language Anxiety Interventions Among Students

Foreign language anxiety is an emotional reaction toward learning and using a foreign language, which may negatively influence individuals’ self-perceptions, beliefs, emotions, and behaviors. To explore how to mitigate the potential detrimental effect of foreign language anxiety, this meta-analysis and systematic review included 37 primary articles on interventions targeting relieving foreign language anxiety. The results revealed the overall efficacy of these interventions ( ES = −0.61, p = .03) in reducing anxiety . Age was the only significant moderator despite seven moderators being included. The qualitative section of the systematic review examined intervention types, publication patterns, and research designs in the 37 analyzed articles. A notable increase in publications on this topic was observed over time, with approximately equal numbers of studies utilizing direct versus indirect interventions. This review offers implications for both future researchers and practical applications in addressing foreign language anxiety.