Calm the Mind, Unlock the Voice: A Bayesian Longitudinal Analysis of Mindfulness and EFL Speaking Anxiety
Mojtaba Khatami, Ferdi Çelik, Raees Calafato, Sonia Sharmin
International Journal of Applied Linguistics June 26, 2025 DOI: 10.1111/ijal.12785 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 259 |
| Population | Bangladeshi undergraduates studying English as a foreign language |
| Duration | One semester, with data collected at three-monthly intervals |
| Measures | English Language Speaking Anxiety Scale, Langer Mindfulness Scale |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Education |
| Key findings | Mindfulness and English-speaking anxiety showed a progressively strengthening negative association over a semester, with Bayesian evidence moving from anecdotal to moderate or strong. Cross-lagged analyses indicated that high mindfulness in one month was associated with lower speaking anxiety in the following month. The authors propose mindfulness as a modifiable factor for reducing language anxiety. |
Abstract
This longitudinal study investigated the dynamic relationship between mindfulness and English‐speaking anxiety among 259 Bangladeshi undergraduates over a semester. Data were collected at three‐monthly intervals using the English Language Speaking Anxiety Scale and the Langer Mindfulness Scale, addressing four research objectives: (1) the cross‐sectional correlation between mindfulness and speaking anxiety at each time point, (2) temporal changes in this correlation across the semester, (3) Bayesian evidence for an inverse relationship, and (4) the association between mindfulness and speaking anxiety. Correlation analyses revealed a progressively strengthening, negative association, supported by Bayesian evidence that shifted from anecdotal (Month 1) to moderate/strong (Months 2–3). Cross‐lagged analyses further demonstrated that high mindfulness in one month was associated with lower speaking anxiety in the following month. These findings highlight mindfulness as a modifiable factor for mitigating language anxiety and provide empirical support for integrating mindfulness‐based interventions into university EFL curricula to enhance oral communication skills. Practical recommendations are proposed for educators, policymakers, and mental health professionals to foster psychologically supportive language‐learning environments.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Patients with a depressive disorder | 2015 | Observational study | |
| Patterning of Cognitive and Somatic Processes in the Self-Regulation of Anxiety: Effects of Meditation versus Exercise Regular practitioners of physical exercise or meditation | 1978 | Retrospective study | n = 77 |
| Dynamic coupling of whole-brain neuronal and neurotransmitter systems Healthy humans | 2020 | Observational study | |
| Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study Randomly selected United States adults | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 135,095 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 6
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- A mindfulness-based intervention to increase resilience to stress in university students (the Mindful Student Study): a pragmatic randomised controlled trial The Lancet Public Health December 18, 2017
- Mindfulness in cultural context Transcultural Psychiatry August 1, 2015
- Mindfulness and foreign language learners’ self-perceived proficiency: the mediating roles of anxiety and burnout Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development January 24, 2023
- The Effect of Mindfulness Programs on Collegiate Test Anxiety Mindfulness October 21, 2022
and 1 more in the library