Author/s:
Atrian, Anahita
Imam Reza International University, Mashhad, Iran (anahita.atrian@yahoo.com)
Ghanizadeh, Afsaneh*
Imam Reza International University, Mashhad, Iran (a.ghanizadeh@imamreza.ac.ir)
Rostami, Soroor
Imam Reza International University, Mashhad, Iran (rostami.soroor@yahoo.com)
Abstract:
Granted the fact that willingness to communicate (WTC) in the second or foreign language is the construct that explains the differences in learners’ intention to communicate in the L2, it has recently attracted the attention of L2 educationalists. The main purpose of the present study is to delve into willingness to communicate in relation with self-regulation and coping strategies. This study was conducted with 130 undergraduate EFL university students enrolled in the English Language Teaching (ELT) Department of two universities in Iran. The data collection instruments consisted of the translated versions of WTC Questionnaire, the Self-Regulation Trait (SRT) Scale and Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). The CISS focuses on three major dimensions of coping in response to a stressful situation: Task-oriented, Emotion-oriented, and Avoidance-oriented coping. Task-oriented coping refers to responses directed at either problem resolution or cognitively reframing the meaning of the stressful situation. Emotion-oriented coping refers to responses directed toward oneself rather than the problem at hand. An individual using this coping style may respond to a difficult situation by becoming emotionally distressed or engaging in fantasy activities. Avoidance-oriented coping refers to responses designed to avoid dealing with the stressful situation, such as distracting oneself with other situations (e.g., shopping) or through interacting with other persons. The data were analyzed descriptively using the SPSS 21 Software. The findings of the study revealed that among the subscales of coping strategies, task strategy had the highest correlation with WTC and self-regulation. Among the subscales of WTC, WTC in speaking displayed the highest correlation with task coping strategy. In addition, there was a moderate correlation between WTC and self-regulation. The correlation coefficients between WTC and the components of self-regulation showed that WTC has the highest correlation with the motivation component of self-regulation. The limitations of the study and implications for future research are addressed.
Keywords: coping strategies; self-regulation; willingness to communicate; EFL learners
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrsp.2016.1586
*Corresponding Author