Writing and speaking anxiety as predictors of ChatGPT usage among EFL learners

The increasing use of artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT in language learning environments has raised several questions about its role in education, including in the English as a foreign language context. The study aims to reveal ChatGPT as a coping strategy to overcome productive skill anxiety of the learners. A mixed-method design was used, combining multiple regression analysis with qualitative interviews. The results showed that writing anxiety significantly predicted ChatGPT usage, with the model explaining 14.1% variance, whereas speaking anxiety did not. Qualitative findings indicated that learners use ChatGPT mainly to practice writing when they feel anxious to get immediate feedback and correct their mistakes, which helps them feel less writing anxiety. In contrast, ChatGPT’s role in coping with speaking anxiety remained limited, as learners reported that they did not think it was effective, authentic, or natural. Although they did not use ChatGPT when they felt speaking anxiety, they highlighted that it could still be an option if there was no other practice opportunity. These findings suggest that the effect of foreign language anxiety on AI use depends on the nature of the skill. The study also urges the need for more interaction-based AI tools to use in speaking practices.