Examining the Effectiveness of Group Counseling in Reducing Anxiety for Jordanian EFL Learners

Abstract

Abstract-This study aimed at examining the effectiveness of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) as used in group counseling to reduce the level of anxiety for Jordanian learners of English as a foreign language. The study sample consisted of 32 male and female students at Ajloun National University. The students were all at the undergraduate level and have received the highest anxiety scores on the foreign language anxiety scale. The students were randomly divided into two groups; an experimental group and a controlled group. Each group consisted of 16 male and female students. The experimental group received training on REBT, while no remedial training was given to the controlled group. Results of the study revealed that REBT was more effective in reducing the anxiety level for learners of English compared to the absence of using the remedial program for members of the controlled group. Statistical analysis showed a statistically significant difference between the experimental group and the controlled group (α= 0.05). The use of REBT was not gender specific since statistical analysis revealed no statistically significant difference between males and females (α= 0.05).

Classroom Interventions and Foreign Language Anxiety: A Systematic Review With Narrative Approach

“…Our review further found learner-internal features of FLAR interventions. Five studies used performance such as drama ( Sağlamel and Kayaoğlu, 2013 ; Galante, 2018 ; Uştuk and Aydın, 2018 ; Kwiecień-Niedziela et al, 2020 ) or digital storytelling ( Liu et al, 2018 ), five involved strategies ( Alrabai, 2015 ; Mostafavi and Vahdany, 2016 ; He, 2017 ; Tsiriotakis et al, 2017 ; Bielak, 2018 ), four interventions used counseling and training ( Abood and Abu-Melhim, 2015 ; Kralova et al, 2017 , 2018 ; Toyama and Yamazaki, 2019 ), and four used mood boosters such as meditation ( Scida and Jones, 2017 ), music ( Shimbo, 2008 ), gaming ( Wei et al, 2018 ), and web-based L2 exercises ( Bashori et al, 2020 ).…”

“…In fact, they are designed to improve student–student interactions through peer feedback and teacher-student interaction through debriefing and feedback. Applying rational emotive therapy combined with positive self-talk, two studies ( Abood and Abu-Melhim, 2015 ; Toyama and Yamazaki, 2019 ) reported successful decrease in FLA.…”

“…We also found interventions that combined two or three methods. Rational emotive therapy ( Foss and Reitzel, 1988 ) combined with positive self-talk or “self-encouragement via positive statements” ( Oxford, 1990 , p. 142) and peer and teacher feedback improved FLA, as measured by the FLCAS ( Abood and Abu-Melhim, 2015 ; Toyama and Yamazaki, 2019 ). This brief therapy helps learners recognize their own irrational beliefs as a source of anxiety and modify them to more realistic expectations to manage FLA.…”

Gender Consideration Effects of Group Counselling on Communication Apprehension among University Students

“…The results obtained from the T-test analysis indicate that there is not a statistically significant disparity in communication apprehension levels between female and male pupils. A study conducted by Abood and Abu-Melhim (2015) investigated the efficacy of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) in the context of group therapy for Jordanian individuals learning English as a foreign language, with the aim of reducing anxiety levels. The results indicate that there is no discernible disparity between genders in terms of communication apprehension, and furthermore, it is possible to mitigate communication apprehension.…”

The Relationship between Irrational Beliefs and Foreign Language Anxiety among Jordanian EFL Learners

“…• Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) should be used in group counseling to reduce the level of anxiety for students learning English as a foreign language based on the effectiveness of this method exemplified in various studies (Abood & Abu-Melhim, 2015a), for example.…”