Self-esteem, Motivation, and Anxiety of Korean University Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the level of self-esteem, motivation, and anxiety of university English learners and their differences according to gender, year, English proficiency level, and KSAT level. This study further aimed to determine the correlation between self-esteem, motivation, and anxiety of the learners. The respondents of this study were 255 randomly selected college students enrolled in English classes from a local university. A survey questionnaire consisting of 43 items was administered to the students. The Mean was used to determine the level of students’ self-esteem, motivation, and anxiety, followed by t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson’s r analysis. The results showed that the students at the current school had a moderate level of self-esteem, motivation, and anxiety. Significant differences were found in the students’ level of self-esteem, motivation, and anxiety when they were grouped according to gender and English proficiency level. The males had higher level of self-esteem and motivation and lower level of anxiety when compared with the females. No significant difference existed when the students were grouped according to year. There was a positive correlation between self-esteem and motivation, with high levels of self-esteem associated with high levels of motivation. On the other hand, there was a strong, negative correlation between self-esteem and anxiety with high levels of self-esteem associated with low levels of anxiety. Furthermore, there was a moderate, negative correlation between motivation and anxiety, with high levels of motivation associated with low levels of anxiety.