Exploring foreign language anxiety and resting-state EEG alpha asymmetry

Brent Kelsen; Artur Czeszumski; Sophie Hsin-Yi Liang; Yu-Cheng Pei; June Hung; Hsiao-Lung Chan; Hsuan-Wen Yeh

doi:10.1016/j.bandl.2024.105519

Exploring foreign language anxiety and resting-state EEG alpha asymmetry

Brain Lang. 2024 Dec 21:261:105519. doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2024.105519. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Brent Kelsen¹, Artur Czeszumski², Sophie Hsin-Yi Liang³, Yu-Cheng Pei⁴, June Hung⁵, Hsiao-Lung Chan⁶, Hsuan-Wen Yeh⁷

Affiliations

¹ Language Center, National Taipei University, No. 151, University Rd., Sanxia Dist., New Taipei City 237303, Taiwan.
² Institute of Cognitive Science, Universität Osnabrück, Wachsbleiche 27, Osnabrück 49074, Germany; Department of Clinical Psychology, Free University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, Amsterdam 1081 HV, the Netherlands.
³ Section of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Taoyuan, No. 123, Dinghu Rd., Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333, Taiwan, ROC; School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333, Taiwan, ROC.
⁴ School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, No. 5, Fuxing St., Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333, Taiwan, ROC; Graduate School of Science Design Program in Innovation for Smart Medicine, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333, Taiwan, ROC; Center of Vascularized Tissue Allograft, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, No. 5, Fuxing St., Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333, Taiwan, ROC.
⁵ School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, No. 5, Fuxing St., Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333, Taiwan, ROC; Neuroscience Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, No. 5, Fuxing St., Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333, Taiwan, ROC.
⁶ Neuroscience Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, No. 5, Fuxing St., Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333, Taiwan, ROC.
⁷ Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333, Taiwan, ROC.

PMID: 39709935
DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2024.105519

Abstract

Anxiety experienced when interacting in a foreign language hinders communication through detrimental behavioral, cognitive, and somatic effects. Despite its impact, there is limited research on how neural asymmetry relates to foreign language anxiety (FLA). While researchers have investigated FLA through brain imaging, there remains an absence of studies examining its correlation with frontal alpha asymmetry. Understanding FLA in the context of frontal alpha asymmetry is significant because it can reveal specific neural mechanisms underlying this anxiety. We investigated the associations between listening and speaking FLA - across behavioral, cognitive, and somatic domains - and participants' resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) signals prior to verbal interactions in a foreign language. The results revealed that significantly higher right-left frontal alpha asymmetry was associated with greater reported FLA in most listening and all of the speaking domains. This study offers insight into the neural processes in connection with FLA, highlighting the significance of frontal alpha asymmetry as a potential neural marker for understanding and addressing its unique challenges.

Keywords: Alpha asymmetry; Electroencephalography (EEG); Foreign language anxiety (FLA).