The Relationship Between Perfectionism and Language Speaking Anxiety: The Mediating Role of Language Learners’ Emotional Creativity

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. student of in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), Department of English Language, Am.C., Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran.

2 Department of Psychology, BG.C., Islamic Azad University, Bandar Gaz, Iran.

3 Department of English Language, Am.C., Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran.

Abstract
Objective: The aim of the present research was to investigate the relationship between perfectionism and language speaking anxiety, with the mediation of language learners’ emotional creativity, through the structural equation modeling approach.
Method: The present study was descriptive-correlational in nature and was conducted using structural equation modeling. The statistical population of the present study consisted of all female senior high school students in the academic track across regular public schools during the 2024–2025 academic year. Based on the number of observed variables, allocating a coefficient of 15 per observed variable, and accounting for the possibility of incomplete questionnaires, a sample of 232 participants was selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Language Speaking Anxiety Questionnaire (Ali Khalaf Ali, 2017), the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Hewitt & Flett, 1991), and the Emotional Creativity Questionnaire (Averill et al., 1999). For data analysis, descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used, and at the inferential level, structural equation modeling was conducted using SPSS 18 and AMOS 23 software.
Results: The findings indicated that perfectionism positively (β =.261) and emotional creativity negatively (β = -.295) predicted foreign language speaking anxiety (p<.01). Moreover, emotional creativity played a significant mediating role in the relationship between perfectionism and foreign language speaking anxiety (β = –.591, p<.01). The research model demonstrated good fit; the chi-square to degrees of freedom ratio (2.389) and the RMSEA index (.036) fell within acceptable ranges. Furthermore, the comparative fit indices, including CFI, NFI, and TLI, were all above .99, confirming the adequate fit of the model. Overall, perfectionism and emotional creativity accounted for 41% of the variance in foreign language speaking anxiety among students (p<.01).
Conclusions: The results highlight the importance of cognitive and emotional factors in explaining language speaking anxiety among students. Perfectionism not only directly increases language speaking anxiety but also contributes indirectly by weakening emotional creativity. Therefore, reducing excessive expectations alongside fostering emotional creativity may serve as an effective strategy for managing language anxiety in educational settings.

Keywords

Subjects

بشارت، م. ع. (۱۳۸۴). تحلیل اکتشافی رابطه‌ کمال‌گرایی و شخصیت. مطالعات تربیتی و روانشناسی، 6(1)،۸۱- 96. https://doi.org/10.22067/ijap.v6i1.6719
حسن‌زاده، ف.، همایونی، ع.، صادقی، ج.، و اکبرنتاج شوب، ن. (۱۴۰۱). نقش میانجی سیستم خودهای انگیزشی زبان در رابطه بین صفت‌های شخصیتی با اضطراب زبان انگلیسی در دانش‌آموزان. مطالعات روان‌شناختی نوجوان و جوان، 3، 3، 6، 149-140.
خوش ضمیر، ش.، و بینش، م. (1395). رابطه بین راهبردهای تنظیم شناختی هیجان و خلاقیت هیجانی با بهداشت روانی دانشجویان.  پژوهش در نظام‌های آموزشی،  10(33)، 85-100.  https://www.jiera.ir/article_49511.html
شیرازی‌زاده، م.، مرادخانی، ش.، و کریم‌پور، م. (۱۳۹۶). بررسی اضطراب و عملکرد نگارش در انگلیسی به عنوان زبان خارجی: آیا کمال‌گرایی تفاوتی ایجاد می‌کند؟ پژوهش‌های زبان شناختی در زبان های خارجی، 7 (1)، ۱۵۳۱۷۸.
https://doi.org/10.22059/JFLR.2017.235551.346
قاسمی، ع.، کدیور، پ.، کرامتی، ه.، و عربزاده، م. (1400). بررسی روایی و پایایی پرسشنامه خلاقیت هیجانی. ابتکار و خلاقیت در علوم انسانی، 11(2 )، 230-207. https://sanad.iau.ir/en/Article/930514
همایونی ع. (1403). تعیین رابطه بین باورهای معرفت‌شناختی با اضطراب صحبت‏کردن با میانجیگری خلاقیت هیجانی در دانش‌آموزان دوزبانه دختر ترکمن. مجله مطالعات ناتوانی، ۱۴ (1)، 114، 1- 9. http://jdisabilstud.org/article-1-2738-fa.html
همایونی، ع. (1404). الگوی تحلیل مسیر کمال گرایی با یادگیری زبان انگلیسی با واسطه گری خلاقیت هیجانی و انعطاف پذیری شناختی در دانش آموزان. پژوهش در نظام‌های آموزشی، 19(70)، 65-77.  https://doi.org/10.22034/jiera.2026.572895.3446
هومن، ح. ع. (1393). مدل‌یابی معادلات ساختاری با کاربرد نرم افزار لیزرل. تهران: سمت، چاپ اول. https://samta.samt.ac.ir/product/13589
 
Ahmed Abdel-Al Ibrahim, K., Karimi, A. R., Abdelrasheed, N. S. G., & Shatalebi, V. (2023). Group dynamic assessment vs. computerized dynamic assessment: impacts on L2 listening development, L2 students’ perfectionism, foreign language anxiety, and intrinsic motivation. Language Testing in Asia, 13(1), 32.https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40468-023-00248-2
Ali Khalaf Ali, M. (2017). English language anxiety: Development and validation of a brief measure. International Journal of Psychology and Educational Studies4(2), 42–53. https://doi.org/10.17220/ijpes.2017.02.005
Averill, J. R. (1999). Individual differences in emotional creativity: Structure and correlates. Journal of Personality, 67(2), 331-371. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1467-6494.00058
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1986(23-28), 2.
Besharat, M. (2005). Exploratory analysis of relationship between perfectionism and character. Foundations of Education, 06(1), 81-96. https://fedu.um.ac.ir/article_29667.html?lang=en (in Persian)
Borisova, A. S., Aleksandrova, O. I., Moskvitcheva, S. A.,  & Soomro, M. A. (2025). Who worries more Chinese or Russian university students? Measuring the correlations between socio-biographical variables and anxiety related to learning a foreign language. Asian Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education10, Article 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40862-024-00309-6
Budiman, A., & Liu, X. (2025). Beyond standard English: How Global Englishes enhances creativity, reduces language anxiety, and increases willingness to communicate. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1611630. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1611630
Bulathwatta, A., & Lakshika, R. (2023). Role of emotional creativity and achievement motivation on trauma symptoms among university students. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1203226. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1203226
Butaney, B., Hoover, E. B., Bernard, K.,  Bettie Coplan, B., Barnett, J., LeLacheur, S., Straker, H., Blesse-Hampton, L., Naidu, A., Blazar, M., Bolch, Ch.  (2025). Mindfulness, self-compassion, and perfectionism in physician assistant students: Implications for wellness curricula. Medical Science Educator35, 293–301. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-024-02183-w
Celume, M. P., & Zenasni, F. (2024). Emotional Competency in Education: Special Issue on Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Creativity. Journal of Personality, 75, 199–236. Retrieved from PMC.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC
Cheng, L. (2023). Delving into the role of mindfulness on the relationship among creativity, anxiety, and boredom of young EFL learners. Heliyon, 9(2), e13733.https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13733
Chong, K. H., Price, J., Irwin, D., Dowens, M. G., & Leong, C. X. R. (2025). Language anxiety in EFL and ESL academic environments. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 27(3), 766–782. https://doi.org/10.1080/13488678.2025.2548997
Çiftkoç, M., & Altaş, B. (2026). The Relationship Between EFL Learners’ Academic Perfectionism and Their Foreign Language Engagement. Journal of Theoretical Educational Sciences, 19(1), 98-122.https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/akukeg/issue/91178/1477621
Coffey, S., & De Costa, P. (2023). Guest editorial: Emotion and creativity in language learning research and teaching. The Language Learning Journal, 51(5), 564-578. https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2023.2251711-1
Das M., R., & Zachariah, B. (2025). Acculturation and English writing anxiety among indigenous students of Kerala. Discover Education4, Article 249. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-025-00705-1
Elisondo, R. C., Soroa, G., & Flores, B. (2022). Leisure activities, creative actions and emotional creativity. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 45, 101060. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2022.101060
Ghasemi, A., Kadivar, P., Keramati, H., & Arabzadeh, M. (2021). The investigation of validity and reliability of Emotional Creativity questionnaire. Journal of Innovation and Creativity in Human Science, 11, 2, 207-230. https://sanad.iau.ir/en/Article/930514 (in Persian)
Giray, L., Alcala, M. A., Edem, J., & Sabacajan, T. M. (2022). English Language Anxiety among College Students. International Journal of Qualitative Research, 2(1), 65-76.https://ojs.literacyinstitute.org/index.php/ijqr/article/view/569
Guzman, B. M. (2022). Language anxiety and academic performance among Thai university students in learning English [Master's thesis, Bukidnon State University]. National Library of the Philippines Catalog. http://kulturalink.nlp.gov.ph/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=13280
Hassanzadeh, F., Homayouni, A., Sadeghi, J., & AkbarnetajShoob, N. (2014). The mediating role of the language motivational self-system in the relationship between personality traits and English language anxiety in students. Adolescent and Young Adult Psychological Studies, 3, 3, 6, 140-149. https://journals.kmanpub.com/index.php/jayps/article/view/853 (in Persian)
He, D., & Haji-Othman, N. A. (2024). Anxiety in English language learning. In A. Cirocki, B. Indrarathne, & S. McCulloch (Eds.), Cognitive and educational psychology for TESOL: A guide for practitioners (pp. 309–329). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-66532-5_17
Hewitt, P. L., & Flett, G. L. (1991). Perfectionism in the self and social contexts: Conceptualization, assessment, and association with psychopathology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology60(3), 456–470. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.60.3.456
Homayouni, A. (2024). Determining the relationships between epistemological beliefs and English language anxiety mediated by emotional creativity in bilingual female Turkmen students. Middle East Journal of Disability Studies, 14(1), 114, 1-9.  https://jdisabilstud.org/article-1-2738-en.html (in Persian)
Homayouni,A. (2025). Path Analysis Model of Perfectionism with English Language Learning Mediated by Emotional Creativity and Cognitive Flexibility in Students. Journal of Research in Educational Systems, 19(70), 65-77. https://www.jiera.ir/article_242211.html?lang=en  (in Persian)
Hooman, H. A. (2014). Structural equation modeling using LISREL software. Tehran: Samt, First Edition. (in Persian)
Horwirz, E. K.; Horwitz, M. B.; Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 70 (ii): 125–132. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1986.tb05256.x
Kantar, A., & Kök, M. (2025). Masculinity and Its Association with English-Speaking Anxiety, Self-compassion, and Perfectionistic Self-presentation. Gender Issues, 42, aticle 29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12147-025-09374-8
Khodayari, E. (2019). Advanced EFL learners perfectionism and reflectivity/impulsivity as predictors of speaking anxiety. Master thesis in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) in Khatam university. https://libsearch.khatam.ac.ir/Search/DocumentDetails/16936
Khoshzamir, Sh., & Binesh, M. (2016). The relationship between cognitive emotion regulation strategies and emotional creativity with students' mental health. Research in Educational Systems, 10(33), 85-100. https://www.jiera.ir/article_49511.html?lang=fa (in Persian)
Kits, K., & Meristo, M. (2025). Fostering oral creativity in the foreign language classroom. Discover Education, 4, Article 417. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-025-00882-z
Li, Z., & Li, Q. (2025). Understanding creativity in context: A socio-emotional mediation model based on the 4Ps framework in Turkish schools. European Journal of Psychology of Education40, Article 127. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-025-01041-6
Liu, C., He, J., Ding, C., Fan, X., Hwang, G. J., & Zhang, Y. (2025). Self-oriented learning perfectionism and English learning burnout among EFL learners using mobile applications: The mediating roles of English learning anxiety and grit. Computers & Education, 225, 105175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2024.105175
Long, M. H. (1983). Native speaker/non-native speaker conversation and the negotiation of comprehensible input1. Applied linguistics, 4(2), 126-141. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/4.2.126
Lopez, C. C., & Obenza, B. N. (2025). Mediating effects of fear of negative evaluation on perfectionism and language anxiety of Philippine L2 learners. Available at SSRN 5199219.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5199219
MacIntyre, P. D., & Charos, C. (1996). Personality, attitudes, and affect as predictors of second language communication. Journal of language and social psychology, 15(1), 3-26.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X960151001
MacIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1994). The subtle effects of language anxiety on cognitive processing in the second language. Language learning, 44(2), 283-305. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1994.tb01103.x
Masunag, L., Cadungon, G., & Pasaol, C. J. (2024). Exploring the mediating role of fear of negative evaluation between perfectionism and academic stress. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Higher Education, 1(1), 79-91. https://ijmdshe.com/index.php/home/article/view/7 
Mi, S., & Liu, X. (2026). Research on creativity of students in integrated STEM education: A scoping review. Journal of Science Education and Technology. Journal of Science Education and Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-026-10321-9      
Mukminin, A., Masbirorotni, M., Noprival, N., Sutarno, S., Arif, N., & Maimunah, M. (2015). EFL speaking anxiety among senior high school students and policy recommendations. Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn), 9(3), 217–225. http://edulearn.intelektual.org/index.php/EduLearn/article/view/1828
Nguyen, B. D., & Trinh, A. N. (2025). The causes of English language learning anxiety among English major seniors at a Vietnamese university. International Journal of Language Instruction, 4(4), 66–82.https://doi.org/10.54855/ijli.25445
Ramadhani, E. K., & Waluyo, H. J. (2025). The expression of emotional creativity of senior high school students in art appreciation texts. CITEUS Universitas Negeri Malang.
https://citeus.um.ac.id/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=ijllc
Ramos-Vera, C., Calle, D., Olivera-Cercado, R., et al. (2025). Dark triad personality traits and perfectionism in Peruvian university students: A network analysis. BMC Psychology, 13, Article 1235. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03577-0
Sadraei, F. S., Ebrahimi, Z., & Xodabande, I. (2024). Perfectionism, emotion regulation, and teacher retention: An examination of Iranian early career language teachers' well-being. Heliyon, 10(16), e36444. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36444
Shirazizadeh, M. , Moradkhani, S., & Karimpour, M. (2017). Anxiety and performance in second language writing: Does perfectionism play a role?  Journal of Foreign Language Research, 7( 1), 153-178. https://doi.org/10.22059/JFLR.2017.235551.346 (in Persian)
Sönmez, G., & Kurtoğlu, M. (2021). Impact of Perfectionism and Self-Compassion Feelings of Undergraduate Students on Their Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety. Psycho-Educational Research Reviews, 10(2), 230–240. https://doi.org/10.52963/PERR_Biruni_V10.N2.16
Sun, X., Li, J., & Meng, L. (2021). Reflection on EFL/ESL teachers' emotional creativity and students L2 engagement. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 758931. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.758931
Swain, M. (1995). Three functions of output in second language learning. Principles and practice in applied linguistics: Studies in honor of HG Widdowson, 125-144.
Tania, M., Danim, S., & Yency, N. A. (2025). Foreign language speaking anxiety: A systematic review of research literature, advances, and practical implications.. TPM–Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 32, 850-861. https://tpmap.org/submission/index.php/tpm/article/view/2274
Tao, Y., & Yu, J. (2024). Cultural threads in writing mastery: a structural analysis of perfectionism, learning self-efficacy, and motivation as mediated by self-reflection in Chinese EFL learners. BMC Psychology, 12(1), 80.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01572-5
Tao, Y., Jalaluddin, I., & Kasim, Z. M. (2025). Striving for perfection: The influence of perfectionism on English language proficiency among Chinese non-English majors. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 15(1), 116-130.https://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/IJAL/article/view/72005
Thomas, M., & Bigatti, S. (2020). Perfectionism, impostor phenomenon, and mental health in medicine: a literature review. International Journal of Medical Education, 11, 201–213. https://doi.org/10.5116/ijme.5f54.c8f8
Tsui, A. B. M., & Cheng, Y. S. (2022). Foreign language anxiety and English medium instruction classrooms: An introduction. English Teaching & Learning, 46(3), 203–212.https://doi.org/10.1007/s42321-022-00122-9
Wakuma, O. K. (2025). An investigation into anxiety levels and English learning outcomes of high school students with a particular focus on grade nine. Discover Education, 4, Article 45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-025-00436-3
Ya’u, Y., & Ayagi, M. I. (2025). Impact of perfectionism on speech production and communication anxiety among undergraduates of public universities in Kano state, Nigeria. UMYU Journal of Educational Research, 13(2), 71-78. https://publications.umyu.edu.ng/ujer/index.php/ujer/article/view/61
Yüksel, H. G., Solhi, M., Özcan, E., & Giritlioğlu, N. B. (2025). The associations between EFL learners’ L2 class belongingness, emotion regulation strategies, and perceived L2 proficiency in an online learning context. The Language Learning Journal, 53(3), 306-322. https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2024.2403463
Zhang, X., & Zhang, Y. (2022). Emotional creativity and mental health among university students: The mediating role of cognitive flexibility. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 839245. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.839245
Zou, Q. (2025). English learning anxiety under blended learning mode: a quantitative study of non-English major undergraduates in a Chinese university. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 40, Article 63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-025-00965-3