Cultural Identity and Language Anxiety: Axiological Perspectives on Adult High School Students in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study examined language acquisition anxiety (LAA) among 318 adult high school students in Riyadh, focusing on its impact on self-efficacy, cultural identity, and classroom engagement. Students scored moderately on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) with results falling between 2.61 and 3.40 points out of 4 possible points. Among the three anxiety factors, communication apprehension (M = 3.22, SD = 0.834) along with fear of negative evaluation (M = 3.06, SD = 0.749) scored highest while test anxiety was at a lower rate (M = 2.60, SD = 0.634). Students who were older and also maintaining employment duties showed increased anxiety because they faced multiple time-related pressures. The study revealed how social conditions support LAA by displaying their relationship to linguistic advantage and cultural identification management. Research recommendations emphasized structured speech activities together with peer collaborations, alternative assessment approaches, and teacher development initiatives to build psychologically secure classrooms. The data implies Saudi Arabia should adopt language policies that integrate cultural protection alongside multilingual competence to decrease LAA and support national values. The investigation should analyze differences between male and female students, and it must examine the time-dependent effects of LAA while studying whether technology-based education matches classroom instruction.