Revista Científica Multidisciplinaria HEXACIENCIAS. Vol. 5, Núm. 10. (jul - dic 2025) ISSN: 3028-8657  
Efectos del Mindfulness o atención plena en la ansiedad lingüística de un idioma extranjero en  
preadolescentes.  
Efectos del Mindfulness o atención plena en la ansiedad lingüística  
de un idioma extranjero en preadolescentes  
Effects of Mindfulness on Foreign Language Anxiety in  
Preadolescents  
Vera-Estrada Maricela Annabel  
Investigadora Independiente. Quito, Ecuador.  
Correo: maryvera1986@gmail.com  
Vargas- Sola Josselyn Paola  
Investigadora Independiente. Quito, Ecuador.  
Correo: jossvargas0493@hotmail.com  
RESUMEN  
El presente estudio examina el grado de ansiedad relacionada con los idiomas  
extranjeros en niños de séptimo grado con edades entre 11 y 12 años y los beneficios  
de los ejercicios de mindfulness en la reducción de la ansiedad. Se aplica un test basado  
en la Escala de Ansiedad en el Aula de Lenguas Extranjeras (FLCAS), modificada, con  
una escala Likert de cinco puntos (Nunca, Rara vez, A veces, A menudo, Siempre), esta  
se utilizó para recopilar datos de una muestra de 88 estudiantes seleccionados de una  
población de 113 utilizando un enfoque de estudio cuantitativo y correlacional,  
estableciendo una diferencia entre los niveles de ansiedad en los estudiantes que  
participaron regularmente en ejercicios de mindfulness y aquellos que no lo hicieron.  
Los resultados mostraron el impacto de la atención plena en la preadolescencia en el  
entorno escolar, especialmente en relación con las habilidades de producción y la  
ansiedad lingüística que enfrentan los estudiantes. Un número significativo de  
estudiantes que aplicaron mindfulness mostraron un manejo considerable de la  
ansiedad en contraste con los estudiantes que no practicaron ninguna técnica de  
mindfulness.  
Palabras claves: atención plena, ansiedad lingüística, regulación emocional,  
aprendizaje del inglés como lengua extranjera.  
ABSTRACT  
This study examines the degree of anxiety related to foreign languages in children of  
seventh grade with ages between 11 and 12 years old and the benefits of mindfulness  
exercises in reducing of the anxiety. The Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale  
(
FLCAS) modified with a five points Likert scale (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often,  
Always), was used to collect data from a sample of 88 students selected from a  
population of 113 using a quantitative, correlational study approach. Anxiety levels in  
students who regularly participate in mindfulness practice and those who do not were to  
be compared in this study. Results showed the impact of mindfulness in early  
adolescence around the scholar environment, especially about production skills and the  
linguistic anxiety that students face. A meaningful number of students that applied  
mindfulness showed a considerable management of anxiety in contrast to students that  
didn’t practice any mindfulness techniques.  
Keywords: mindfulness, foreign language anxiety, emotional regulation, EFL learning.  
Información del manuscrito:  
Fecha de recepción: 08 de abril de 2025.  
Fecha de aceptación: 09 de junio de 2025.  
Fecha de publicación: 20 de julio de 2025.  
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1. INTRODUCCIÓN  
The study of mindfulness in the educational field has been extensive due to its  
beneficial effects on students’ emotional well-being and academic performance.  
The use of mindfulness gained popularity following the clinical research  
conducted by Jon Kabat in the 1980s, which reported numerous physical and  
psychological benefits.  
Schools should implement programs that teach mindfulness skills to cultivate and  
sustain strong connections, manage emotions, detect others feelings, and  
successfully express their own, according to research conducted in New Zealand  
by Kenwright (2021). In this regard, implementing mindfulness training in  
educational institutions has become a successful way to improve classroom  
coexistence, emotional management, and attention.  
Students often face complex situations in the classroom that generate anxiety,  
especially in relation to acquiring a foreign language. Tan (2020) mentions how  
students become nervous when confronted with tasks that test their oral  
communication skills. Similarly, there are recurring challenges when working with  
preadolescents, such as peer pressure, speaking in front of others might be  
unconfident, and the anxiety generated by these situations all of which  
significantly impact their ability to engage in productive language skill activities.  
As noted by Castro Vaca (2023), it is possible to reduce anxiety by modifying the  
learning environment.  
Students in the seventh grade of elementary school, who are usually between the  
ages of eleven and twelve, show particular traits and struggle with learning a  
foreign language. In the upcoming academic year, a number of pupils who  
previously demonstrated a desire to learn may show apathy towards new  
information.  
Those with behavioral issues tend to intensify such tendencies, while students  
who had previously behaved appropriately often reveal noticeable changes in  
their behavior. They may begin to imitate more popular classmates in an effort to  
fit in with their peer group and often give in to peer pressure. According to Tinatini  
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Revista Científica Multidisciplinaria HEXACIENCIAS. Vol. 5, Núm. 10. (jul - dic 2025) ISSN: 3028-8657  
Efectos del Mindfulness o atención plena en la ansiedad lingüística de un idioma extranjero en  
preadolescentes.  
(2020), decisions are frequently made based on what the majority of the group  
wants or under the influence of the group leader.  
Education today requires innovation. Therefore, it is crucial for teachers to be  
aware of the best alternatives for delivering knowledge, as emphasized by  
Belluigi, D. (2020). This is particularly critical for this age group, which requires a  
blend of pedagogical, technical, and emotional regulation tools to be adequately  
prepared.  
According to Mauricio Cortés and Nancy Jiménez (2020), emotional skills can be  
trained. For this reason, it is essential to identify the most appropriate strategies  
for working with preadolescents, who are going through a transitional stage  
influenced by various factors that affect their learning process. In this context,  
studies such as that of Kander, T. N., & Becerra, R. (2024) demonstrate the  
effectiveness of mindfulness in the educational field.  
Literature Review  
Aspects of early adolescence  
Physical  
Growth that occurs between ages 10-14 is marked by further aging sophistication,  
as affirmed by contemporary literature (Breehl & Caban, 2023). Sociologists note  
the fundamental characteristics of this period, including changes in body  
composition due to organ and physiological system development, bone mass  
attainment, body maturation, and sexual developments maturation.  
Psychological  
Self-steering of feelings during pre-adolescence is not functional as pruning of  
the prefrontal cortex is still underway (Blakemore, 2020).  
At this age, there is a potential change in adolescents' sensitivity to how they are  
perceived by other people, therefore, self-esteem becomes vulnerable, which  
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both parents and teachers need for understanding in order to manage them  
effectively (Harter, 2020).  
Also, the combination of emotional changes and new experiences can strengthen  
the intensity of emotions (Steinberg, 2021).  
Social  
By far the most important objectives when in the teenage stage are to gain  
dependence and acceptance of self, body, identity, and peers. As such,  
according to Zumba (2020), social and emotional skills serve to build, forge, or  
maintain relationships. This attribute of social interaction allows a young person  
to adapt to multiple situations effortlessly, enabling them to transform from  
children into self-sufficient adults.  
Mindfulness exercises  
Conscious Breathing  
Following self-awareness theory of Kabat-Zinn (2021), stress, anxiety, and  
difficult emotions are best managed through self-awareness, which can greatly  
be enhanced via conscious breathing.  
A simpler version put forth for students aged 11 and 12 was proposed by Siegel  
Bryson in 2020:  
•
•
•
Sit upright with your back straight, and place your feet flat on the floor.  
Close eyes or concentrate on one area to reduce outside distractions.  
Concentrate on your breath and notice whether air flows through the nose  
or if the abdomen rises and falls.  
•
•
Inhale and exhale, mentally counting up to ten.  
When one’s thoughts drift, gently guide them back to where the focus was.  
Guided Meditation  
Students also need to be in a calm state at certain intervals during the lesson,  
something that used to be overlooked. García-Taibo O. et al. (2023) incorporated  
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Revista Científica Multidisciplinaria HEXACIENCIAS. Vol. 5, Núm. 10. (jul - dic 2025) ISSN: 3028-8657  
Efectos del Mindfulness o atención plena en la ansiedad lingüística de un idioma extranjero en  
preadolescentes.  
the use of mindfulness and relaxing activities toward the end of physical  
education classes. These short sessions allowed students to refocus and  
regulate their emotions and mental state effectively and quicker.  
Gratitude Journal  
A sustained focus results in many positive outcomes for pre-adolescents such as  
better emotional health and concentration.  
In Bono et al.'s (2023) study, the use of a mobile application focusing on gratitude,  
paired with a curriculum for high school students, showed a positive increase in  
their general wellbeing and a reduction in anxiety levels.  
2. METODOLOGÍA  
The study uses a quantitative methodology since it concentrates on gathering  
and analysing numerical data to determine correlations between its variables.  
The use of mindfulness and students' anxiety levels about learning English as a  
foreign language are examined using a correlational design.  
The population consists of 113 seventh-grade students from Unidad Educativa  
La Salle Conocoto during the 2024–2025 academic year, aged between 11 and  
1
2 years. A non-probability purposive sample of 88 students was selected, based  
on criteria such as regular attendance and participation in English classes, as  
well as the practice of mindfulness techniques in the case of the experimental  
group. The sample was divided into two groups: students who participated in the  
implementation of mindfulness techniques and those who did not.  
Formula  
n = (N ⋅ Z² ⋅ p ⋅ q) / (e² ⋅ (N − 1) + Z² ⋅ p ⋅ q)  
To collect the data, a survey was used based on the Foreign Language  
Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), developed by Elaine K. Horwitz in 1986 and  
widely applied with modifications, as noted by Amalia, N. L., & Ma'mun, N. (2020),  
who used the test to assess students’ anxiety levels related to the challenges of  
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oral presentations. In this case, the test was adapted for better comprehension  
by seventh-grade students.  
The FLCAS measures the level of anxiety students experience while acquiring a  
foreign language specifically English. The instrument involved of 15 items, written  
in a clear and appropriate for students aged 11 and 12. The goal was to explore  
their emotions, perceptions, and reactions to various classroom situations in  
English lessons.  
Each item was answered using a Likert scale (never, rarely, sometimes, often,  
and always), where 5 corresponded to “always” and 1 to “never.” This scale  
measured the frequency with which students experiment determined situations,  
allowing the identification of low, medium, and high levels of language anxiety.  
The responses were quantified and showing to statistical analysis, allowing  
comparisons between students who practiced mindfulness and those who did  
not.  
3. RESULTADOS Y DISCUSIÓN  
The following section presents the combined results obtained through the  
research, based on the scoring range and the condition of each group. The  
FLCAS test was applied to two groups: the first group practiced mindfulness  
techniques, while the second group did not.  
Table 1. Anxiety levels  
Mindfulness  
Linguistic Anxiety Levels  
Students numbers)  
(
Low  
9
Moderate  
High  
4
With Mindfulness  
31  
28  
Without Mindfulness  
6
10  
Source: Author's own elaboration  
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Revista Científica Multidisciplinaria HEXACIENCIAS. Vol. 5, Núm. 10. (jul - dic 2025) ISSN: 3028-8657  
Efectos del Mindfulness o atención plena en la ansiedad lingüística de un idioma extranjero en  
preadolescentes.  
Figure 1. Linguistic Anxiety Levels  
Comparative Analysis  
Low Anxiety  
Among the students who practiced mindfulness, low levels of anxiety were noted  
in 20.5%, that is, 9 out of 44 students. On the other hand, the percentage of  
students exhibiting low levels of anxiety in the group that did not engage in  
mindfulness practice was lower: only 13.6%, or 6 out of 44 students. It appears  
that the application of mindfulness techniques has some effect on anxiety  
reduction, especially during oral activities which require more productivity.  
Moderate Anxiety  
The remaining 70.5% of the sample from the mindfulness group and 63.6% in the  
non-mindfulness group reported moderate levels of anxiety. The proportions  
were 31 out of 44 students and 28 out of 44 students respectively. The increased  
proportions in the mindfulness group imply that although learning anxiety is still  
present, it supported a moderate and more tolerable level of anxiety through the  
use of mindfulness strategies.  
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High Anxiety  
A remarkable difference was identified between the two groups with regard to  
high anxiety. In the mindfulness group only 9% (4 of 44 students) reached this  
level, while in the non-mindfulness group version, 22.7% (10 of 44 students)  
reported high anxiety. This gap indicates the positive influence of mindfulness  
techniques in alleviating severe anxiety in students aged 11 and 12, particularly  
with regards to the intense fear of making mistakes and being judged by peers.  
Discussion  
Given the rising levels of anxiety among students in educational settings,  
particularly in the context of foreign language acquisition, one of the study's  
strengths is the topic's relevance, especially in connection to the age group  
studied. The study also showed that students' emotional regulation improved  
when mindfulness practices were used, and that they are both accessible and  
simple to use. This is an important consideration while doing production tasks in  
other languages, especially speaking exercises. Furthermore, the gathering of  
trustworthy data was guaranteed by the use of a verified and modified instrument,  
like the FLCAS. Establishing objective links between the variables under study  
was made possible by the use of a quantitative and correlational research design.  
Mindfulness is an effective strategy for students in this age group and should be  
included in their curriculum. Gao (2023) also supports this idea, noting that  
mindfulness techniques led to moderate anxiety levels in foreign language  
learning and recommending that time be set aside for such practices in education.  
In order to validate the results in various situations, it is advised that the sample  
be enlarged to include students from different grade levels and institutions while  
accounting for other variables. The results indicate that it is critical that educators  
be trained in the application of the suggested methods. Continuous observation  
and psychological help should be given to pupils who are displaying excessive  
levels of anxiety because this problem might seriously impair their capacity to  
learn. The study should also be expanded to examine additional tactics that can  
improve instruction in the classroom and provide students the skills they need to  
better control their emotions.  
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Revista Científica Multidisciplinaria HEXACIENCIAS. Vol. 5, Núm. 10. (jul - dic 2025) ISSN: 3028-8657  
Efectos del Mindfulness o atención plena en la ansiedad lingüística de un idioma extranjero en  
preadolescentes.  
4. CONCLUSIONES  
According to the study, anxiety levels were higher among students who did not  
practice mindfulness. This demonstrates a direct correlation between heightened  
stress during foreign language learning and a lack of emotional control. Anxiety  
levels were lower among students who engaged in mindfulness exercises. This  
supports the findings of Morgan and Katz (2021), who demonstrated that  
mindfulness helps language learners feel less anxious. Those who exercised  
mindfulness had a negative link with anxiety from the beginning and reported  
pleasant experiences, despite the fact that anxiety levels changed following a 13-  
week intervention.  
Strong evidence for assessing the impacts of mindfulness in educational  
contexts, particularly in foreign language learning, was found in test data. Quispe  
Sanca (2024) supported the validity of the exam by confirming that the FLCAS is  
a viable tool for assessing anxiety levels in Latin American English classes. This  
is essential for evaluating the ways in which mindfulness can enhance emotional  
control and language acquisition.  
Relating these findings to Castellanos and Díez (2022), lower language anxiety  
was also noted among mindfulness practitioners. Regular practice enhances  
emotional regulation by strengthening the frontolimbic network and reducing  
amygdala activity linked to anxiety. This biological basis explains why students  
who practiced mindfulness had better emotional control in high-stress situations,  
like public speaking or speaking a foreign language.  
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Breehl, L., & Caban, O. (2023, March 27). Physiology, puberty. In StatPearls.  
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