Psychosocial Predictors in College Writing

The prevalence of writing anxiety among college students has been a pervasive concern across various academic disciplines, extending beyond Basic English courses. This study delved into the psychosocial factors contributing to writing-related challenges among students at the University of Cebu Main Campus during the 2016-2017 academic year. The data from 567 randomly selected college students enrolled in Writing in the Discipline classes were collected by implementing a descriptive-correlational research design and utilizing adapted and modified questionnaires. The research findings not only shed light on the relationship between students' profiles and their experiences of writing anxiety and motivation but also unveiled significant gender-based variations in the process and evaluation subscales of writing-related issues. Ultimately, this study underscored the substantial link between the students' chosen programs and the predictors of their writing challenges. Based on these insights, it is recommended to implement a strategic intervention program to alleviate writing anxiety and enhance motivation among college students, fostering improved writing outcomes across disciplines.


Introduction
The era of globalization has ushered in a multitude of challenges in the field of education, with particular significance placed on the teaching and learning of English as a foreign or second language.English, being the universal language, has become a necessity, serving as the lingua franca of our globalized community.
As cited in the Presidential Commission for Educational Reform (PCER), using English as a medium of instruction in all learning institutions is relevant because it meets the demands of the times.It is suitable for global competitiveness and, more importantly, the tool for modernization (PCER, 2000).
The rapid pace of exchanging information in the global community requires that the teaching of writing in a foreign or second language (English) be made relevant and engaging to the new breed of students -the millennials and the post-millennials whose lives are so immersed in the global culture.Millennials, or those born in the early 1980s up to the early 2000s, also called Generation Y, and Generation Z, or the post-millennials, enjoy sharing their lives with their fellow citizens and individuals of other languages and cultural orientations.
The ability to communicate in English is viewed as essential for a country to keep up with the world.The interdependency of today's global societies makes it imperative for any country's education system to operate from a worldwide education perspective and produce globally competent graduates.Graduates who understand international issues can work with those of varied cultural and language orientations and is proficient in foreign language and skills so they can productively function in the global community (Putting the World into World-Class Education: State Innovations and Opportunities).
Economically prosperous countries, such as South Korea, Japan, and China, recognize the significance of English proficiency in maintaining their economic status and global relevance.This is exemplified by individuals from these countries coming to the Philippines to learn English.However, despite the Philippines' role as a hub for English language education, there is an observable deterioration in English language proficiency among Filipinos.According to Martin (2014), Filipino students' low scores in the international math and science tests were blamed on their low English proficiency because English was used as the test language.
Among the macro language skills-reading, writing, speaking, and listening, writing has been the most challenging skill for students.In the classroom setting, for instance, as an English teacher, this researcher has observed that when a writing task is given, most students will stare into space for most of the class without writing anything.Other students would play with their pens and make drawings on their paper instead of writing down their ideas.Some students would pretend to be thinking deeply, while others would ask for a restroom pass.Still, other students who could write something were fine with the mechanics, logical sequencing, and relevance of ideas to the given topic.If the writing task is provided as homework, most students will submit a poorly written paper just for compliance.This being the general scenario, the Philippine Commission for Educational Reform stipulated among its proposals the call for strengthening the teaching of English, especially writing, in Philippine schools.
Despite the joint efforts of the government and the academe through the decades, the enhancement of teaching writing in English is still wanting.This is caused by a complex of factors that operate in various levels of Philippine society and take its toll on the proficiency of Filipino learners.As this study focuses on psychosocial factors such as anxiety and motivation in English language writing, it hopes to elucidate how these factors affect Filipino students in their English or second language writing proficiency or acquisition of English as a foreign or second language.
In this context, this study was conducted with the intent that the findings will find their niche in the reforms that are now at work in strengthening the Philippine education system in foreign language acquisition.Furthermore, the findings hold practical value for the institutional planners of the University of Cebu, serving as a guide for improving English language instruction and empowering students to excel in the globalized world.

Research Objectives
The study determined the psychosocial predictors in writing problems among students in the University of Cebu-Main Campus colleges, School Year 2016-2017.
Specifically, the study sought answers to the following questions: 1. What is the profile of the respondents regarding: a. Gender; b.Degree program, and c.Secondary education institution attended?2. What is the respondents' level of writing anxiety as far as the following aspects are concerned: a. Process; b.Product; and c.Evaluation? 3. What is the level of the respondents' motivation in writing in terms of: a. 3.1 Intrinsic; and b. 3.2 Extrinsic?4. Is there a significant relationship between the respondents 'profile and the levels of: a. 4.1 Anxiety in writing; and b. 4.2 Motivation in writing? 5. Is there a significant relationship between the respondents' level of writing anxiety and their motivation in writing? 6.Is there a significant difference in the respondents' psychosocial predictors when grouped according to profile?McClelland's theory provides insights into human motivation by identifying three primary needs: the need for achievement (n-Ach), the need for power (n-pow), and the need for affiliation (n-affil).These needs vary in importance among individuals and across cultures (Schuller et al., 2010).

Theoretical Framework
In this theory, individuals with a high need for achievement (n-Ach) are highly motivated to set and accomplish goals through their efforts and abilities.They prefer working independently or with others who share a similar need for achievement and continuously seek to improve their skills and performance.Achieving their goals brings them positive emotions and a sense of pride.On the other hand, individuals with a strong need for power (n-pow) are motivated by a desire for influence, effectiveness, prestige, and status.They aspire to make an impact and be recognized as authorities in their respective domains (Schuller et al., 2010).Lastly, individuals with a high need for affiliation (n-affil) value friendly relationships and enjoy interacting with others.They seek acceptance, belongingness, and popularity.
McClelland acknowledges that individuals may exhibit a combination of these dominant needs, but their most prominent needs primarily influence their behavior.Competence and success are most likely achieved when individuals engage in activities aligned with their dominant needs.
In McClelland's model, two fundamental motivation systems are outlined: The explicit motivational system relates to an individual's consciously expressed goals and motivational orientation.The implicit motivational system operates beyond conscious awareness and drives spontaneous behavior (Schultheiss et al., 2008).He emphasizes that assessing behavior in situations lacking achievement incentives is unfair, as implicit motives are influenced by inherent activity incentives and social cues (Spangler, 1992).According to him, situational motivations result from the interplay between dispositional needs and environmental prompts or incentives.Dispositional needs represent learned preferences for specific incentives, driving individuals to select behaviors that align with achieving those incentives.
John William Atkinson made significant contributions to McClelland's Needs Theory.Atkinson's work in expectancy-value theory in education aimed to understand the motivation to achieve.He proposed that individuals with a high motive to achieve success (n-Ach) would opt for moderately complex tasks, while those with a weaker motive for success relative to avoiding failure would choose tasks at the extremes of difficulty (Graham & Weiner, 1996;Atkinson, 1957).
Atkinson's theory suggests that achievement motivation can be mathematically calculated by subtracting the fear of failure from the desire to succeed.Task difficulty (the likelihood of failure) and the incentive value of success are situational variables that influence achievement motivation.In practice, individuals with a high achievement motive become more attuned to achievement cues, engage in achievement tasks more readily, and persist longer than those with a low achievement motive.Conversely, a strong motive to avoid failure is associated with inhibiting factors that reduce engagement in achievement tasks.
Atkinson's contributions underscore the importance of considering the dynamics of achievement-related risk-taking in motivation theory.Understanding these motivational factors can provide insights into the behavior of both positively and negatively motivated individuals (Revelle & Michaels, 1976).
In addition to Mc Clelland-Atkinson's theory of achievement motivation, the present study also leans on the three-dimensional theory of attribution by Weiner (2006), who greatly influenced present knowledge of outcome attribution.His theoretical framework assumes that individuals are pseudo-scientists seeking to understand human behavior's causes.Weiner's attribution model of achievement motivation suggests that an individual's attribution explains the cause of either success or failure and affects his motivation (Weiner, 1972).Weiner (2000) emphasizes distinguishing between different causes, like effort and ability, by quantifying their effects to understand motivational influences.This can only be achieved when these causes share specific psychological dimensions, such as locus, stability, and controllability.Locus refers to whether a cause is internal or external, with examples like ability and effort seen as internal causes and external causes related to task difficulty or assistance from others.Locus is tied to emotions like pride and selfesteem.Stability concerns how long a cause is perceived to last, with some causes seen as constant (e.g., aptitude) and others as transient (e.g., chance), influencing how individuals perceive future tasks.Controllability, another dimension, relates to whether an actor has control over the cause of an event.This dimension significantly impacts a person's persistence in a task and is linked to emotions like sympathy and anger.Causes like effort can be changed, making them controllable, while others like luck or innate ability cannot.Weiner (2000) also explains that causal attributions play a crucial role in motivation's expectancy and value dimensions.Locus and controllability are connected to the emotional value individuals attach to achievement outcomes.These causal dimensions strongly influence feelings of guilt or shame when goals are not met, ultimately affecting subsequent behavior.Therefore, the interplay of causal attribution dimensions, emotions, and thoughts and feelings about success shapes motivation, both in interpersonal and intrapersonal contexts.
Attribution theories play a crucial role in understanding the differences between high-functioning and low-functioning learners.These theories suggest that high-functioning learners are more likely to engage in tasks that they believe will lead to success due to their confidence in their abilities and effort.When high-functioning learners encounter failure, they attribute it to external factors such as bad luck or unfavorable circumstances.This concept aligns with achievement motivation theory, which posits that individuals are inherently driven to succeed and actively pursue achievement-oriented goals.
In social psychology, Attribution refers to the process through which individuals explain the causes of behaviors or events.It helps individuals gain control and predictability by identifying the underlying causes of actions and occurrences in their environment.Attribution involves making inferences about the behavior of oneself and others and the situation in which the behavior takes place.
In the classroom, Weiner's framework provides a valuable perspective for understanding learners' motivation.It suggests that learners' attributions are influenced by environmental and personal factors, which, in turn, impact their motivation for specific tasks or activities (Anderman & Anderman, 2009).
In addition to the Mc Clelland -Atkinson theory of achievement motivation and Weiner's three-dimensional theory of attribution, the present study also rests on the motivational model of John Keller.John Keller's (1979) motivational model focuses on inputs, outputs, and environmental factors.This model suggests that motivation is influenced by individual motives, expectancy, and efforts to affect motivation.The effort applied to one's abilities, skills, and knowledge, along with the planning and direction of the learning experience, impacts performance.Performance, in combination with the design of contingencies, determines the outcome.Keller's model integrates individual abilities, skills, and knowledge with behavioral contingency design and the expectancy-value theory of motivation within social learning theory.
From this framework, Keller developed the ARCS theory of motivation, which stands for attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (Keller, 1983).Attention is crucial as it serves as a prerequisite for learning.It involves gaining and sustaining focus on relevant stimuli, including perceptual arousal, inquiry arousal, and variability to maintain interest.Relevance, the second element, emphasizes the learner's understanding of why they should invest effort in a task.It encompasses goal orientation, motive matching, and familiarity.Confidence, the third element, centers on the learner's belief in their ability to succeed.It includes factors such as understanding learning requirements, having opportunities for success, and a sense of personal control.The fourth feature, satisfaction, is vital because learners should feel a sense of accomplishment after a learning experience to remain motivated.It encompasses aspects like experiencing natural consequences, positive incentives, and a sense of fairness (Weibell, 2011).
Achievement motivation significantly influences language learning.McClelland and Atkinson's model suggests that motive strength and incentive value predict behavior frequency.Attribution also plays a crucial role, with effort and study strategies attributions leading to increased academic achievement (Weiner, 1972).
Gardner's model of second language learning emphasizes integrative and instrumental orientations.Integrative motivation, driven by the desire to be integrated into a culture, positively correlates with language achievement (Gardner & Lambert, 1972).Gardner's later studies identified motivational intensity, desire to learn, and attitudes as critical components (Gardner, 1985).In summary, attribution theory, choice, and attribution errors, such as the fundamental attribution error, are essential concepts.Kelley's covariation model and Gardner's motivation theories contribute to understanding achievement motivation in language learning.Self-Determination Theory, proposed by Deci and Ryan (1985), highlights autonomy as a fundamental psychological need.Autonomy is positively linked to intrinsic motivation (La Guardia, 2009).Intrinsic motivation, characterized by joy and task satisfaction, consists of stimulation, accomplishment, and knowledge.Autonomy-supportive teachers can enhance students' intrinsic motivation, interest, and enjoyment in subjects (Black & Deci, 2000).
In foreign language learning, intrinsic motivation correlates positively with study time and the decision to continue language study (Bernard, 2010).Extrinsic motivation involves external factors driving actions, including external regulation, introjected regulation, and identified regulation, forming a continuum with intrinsic motivation.
Different models of language learning motivation exist.Cziser and Dornyei (2002) outlined seven components, while Dornyei (1990) introduced a four-component framework, and Clement, Dornyei, and Noels (1994) proposed three components.Integrative and intrinsic motivations are linked to improved language achievement.Studies indicate that intrinsic or integrative motivation positively affects language learning achievement.Writing anxiety, the fear of writing, mainly affects language writing skills.Writing anxiety includes evaluation, stress, and product anxiety.Enjoyment of writing and fear of evaluation, along with metacognition and metamemory, predict English written proficiency.Visualization exercises were tested to reduce writing anxiety, resulting in decreased anxiety levels and increased enjoyment of writing (Ayres & Hopf, 1991).
Research consistently demonstrates the significant impact of anxiety on language proficiency and writing performance.Lee and Krashen (2002) revealed that heightened anxiety is a robust predictor of lower grades in writing courses.Their findings align with the broader consensus that writing anxiety correlates negatively with writing performance.
Onwuegbuzie, Bailey, and Daly (2000) emphasized that foreign language anxiety stands out as a prominent predictor of variance in foreign language achievement.Kitano (2001) reinforced this notion, showing a positive correlation between students' anxiety levels and their reduced perception of their language proficiency.Jones (2008) proposed that learners' beliefs in their writing competency influence their learning potential, with low self-efficacy leading to reduced effort and, consequently, limited success.
Language anxiety is closely linked to academic achievement, as noted by Horwitz et al. (1986), who found that anxious learners tend to engage in more studying.Paradoxically, the increased effort does not always translate into improved achievement.Several studies support the idea that students' anxiety significantly contributes to the variance in language learning outcomes.Contrastingly, Daly (1985) reported that highly apprehensive students received lower scores on standardized writing tests and lower evaluations on their essays.Shang (2012) observed that heightened anxiety negatively impacts students' perceived writing proficiency.Additionally, Hassan (2001) found that low-anxiety students consistently produced higher-quality compositions compared to their high-anxiety counterparts.Hassan's study also suggested that students with higher self-esteem tend to experience lower anxiety levels.
Studies have shown that academic achievement increases as academic outcomes are attributed to effort and study strategies, not to lack of ability or health issues.Further, Weiner's attribution model showed that emotions are related to different causal dimensions (Weiner, 1972).
Johnson and Pajares (1994) found that students often underestimate their confidence in writing, with self-efficacy levels and writing apprehension playing a predictive role in their success.However, Daly and Wilson (1983) argued that there is no significant connection between writing self-efficacy and general self-confidence.Self-efficacy, as elucidated by Johnson and Pajares (1994), Bruning et al. (1989), and McCarthy et al. (1985), represents a situation-specific belief in one's ability to perform specific writing tasks, and it strongly influences actual writing ability.Students with high self-efficacy tend to produce higher-quality written work compared to their less self-efficacious peers.
Teacher-related factors also come into play, with studies like Claypool (1980) and Gere et al. (1984) delving into how teachers' writing anxiety affects their teaching practices and their evaluation of students' written work.Teachers with lower writing anxiety tend to prioritize effort and creativity over rigid structural rules when assessing students' writing.Furthermore, Atay and Kurt (2006) discovered that high second language competence did not necessarily correlate with lower writing anxiety among prospective teachers, suggesting that factors beyond proficiency influence writing anxiety.
Language background plays a role, with Levine (2003) indicating that monolingual students exhibit more anxiety than bilingual or multilingual students, particularly when faced with the challenge of expressing thoughts in a non-native language.Computerassisted grammar instruction has been found to enhance writing quality and quantity (Oxford, 2004), emphasizing the importance of grammar in second language writing instruction (Frodesen & Holten, 2003).Anxiety often arises when learners perceive a mismatch between their mature ideas and their less developed foreign or second language skills, viewing the language as a test rather than a means of communication (Horwitz & Cope, 1986).Strategies such as information gathering, organization, and idea integration are considered essential by students to combat writing anxiety (Kara, 2013).
Writing fluency plays a crucial role, as Mac Intyre et al. (1997) noted that students who feel secure in their writing fluency tend to experience less anxiety.Conversely, low-proficiency students often grapple with anxiety due to inadequate writing skills, vocabulary, and language proficiency (Sparks et al., 2000).Cognitive-linguistic difficulties, including issues with information recall, contribute to poor performance and heightened anxiety (Horwitz, 2000).
Teaching writing in a foreign language context can be challenging, as some language teachers may not consider composition instruction as part of their responsibilities (Kassen, 1995).This can be especially overwhelming in crowded classrooms.
Gender differences in writing anxiety are evident, with studies suggesting that women tend to calibrate their skills more accurately, exhibiting more positive attitudes and stability in stressful situations (Fox et al., 1994;Spielberger, 1983).Conversely, men tend to be overconfident and may experience more anxiety in English classes (Shang, 2013).However, findings on gender and writing anxiety vary, with some studies indicating that female students may be more anxious than their male counterparts (Machida, 2001;Aida, 1994).
Understanding these intricate dynamics of writing anxiety and its determinants can inform pedagogical approaches and support mechanisms to improve writing performance and confidence among students and teachers alike.
The preceding discussion on attribution theories, achievement motivation, and studies related to foreign or second language writing has helped establish the premise of the present study to elucidate the psychosocial predictors in college writing among respondents.

Research Design
This study adopts a descriptive-correlational research design to investigate the psychosocial factors contributing to writing-related challenges among college students at the University of Cebu Main Campus during the 2016-2017 academic year.The primary aim is to analyze the relationships between students' profiles, their experiences of writing anxiety and motivation, and the potential gender-based variations in the process and evaluation subscales of writing-related issues.

Research Environment
This study was conducted at the University of Cebu-Main Campus in Brgy.Kalubihan, Cebu City.The University of Cebu is a nonsectarian institution offering educational programs from kindergarten to graduate.At the tertiary level, the University of Cebu-Main Campus comprises eight colleges: Education, Liberal Arts, Customs Administration, Business and Accountancy, Computer Studies, Allied Engineering, Criminology, and Hotel and Restaurant Management.These programs are accredited by the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA) at levels two or three.
During the 2016-2017 school year, the University of Cebu-Main Campus served approximately 13,000 college students, primarily from Cebu province and neighboring areas.Known for providing accessible education to the masses, the University of Cebu is vital in offering quality education to the middle-class and underprivileged sectors of society.
The University of Cebu stands out in Cebu's education sector due to its rapid rise in popularity and outstanding achievements in academic and cultural performances at local and national levels.

Research Respondents
The respondents of this study were the 567 randomly selected college students enrolled in English 2 (Writing in the Discipline) classes.There were 20 English 2 classes offered in the second semester of the School Year 2016-2017 for all the college programs in UC-Main.The respondents were chosen using non-probability purposive random sampling.

Research Instruments
This study used two instruments.The first instrument is an adopted-modified version of the Daly-Miller (1975) Writing Anxiety Test (WAT).The second instrument is an adapted-modified version of Payne's (2012) Academic Writing Motivation Questionnaire (AWMQ).The adopted Writing Anxiety Instrument elicited the respondents' level of writing anxiety in the aspects of process, product, and evaluation of their writing.Part I of this instrument consists of the respondents' profile information regarding their gender, course, and type of high school graduate.Part II of this instrument consists of twenty-eight (28) statements, which were answered on a four-point scale and were interpreted as follows: The second instrument is an adopted-modified Academic Writing Motivation Questionnaire (AWMQ), which investigated the intensity of the respondent's motivation and the type of motivation that affected their writing.This is part III of the instrument.It consists of thirty-eight (38) statements, which were answered on a four-point scale and were interpreted as follows: 4 = highly motivated 3 = moderately motivated 2 = less motivated 1 = not motivated Statement numbers 1 to 22 measure intrinsic motivation; statement numbers 23 to 38 measure extrinsic motivation.

Research Procedures
This section deals with the data-gathering procedures and statistical treatment used.

Gathering of Data.
This study was undertaken in the School Year 2016-2017.The instruments, namely, the adopted-modified Writing Anxiety Test (WAT) and the adopted-modified Academic Writing Motivation Questionnaire (AWMQ), were administered to the participants as soon as the approval to conduct the study had been received from the office of the Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the Office of the University Research Director.The instruments were piloted to some students in English 2 classes to ascertain if the statements were clear and understandable to the intended respondents.
While administering the instruments, the respondents were guided by the researcher on the intent of each statement by providing clarifications as necessary.The respondents were not required to provide names on the instruments to assure them of the confidentiality of their answers.

Treatment of Data.
The following statistical tools were used in the study.The chi-square test of independence was used to determine the significance of the relationship between the respondents' profiles and perceived psychosocial predictors of English writing problems.

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
was used to determine the significance of the differences among the 'respondents' perceived psychosocial predictors of writing problems when grouped according to profile.

Results and Discussion
This chapter presents, analyzes, and interprets the data gathered from the identified college students of the University of Cebu Main Campus.The data pertain to the profile of the respondents, the respondents' anxiety in writing, their motivation in writing, and the test of data.

Profile of the Respondents
In this study, the profile of the respondents includes their gender, degree program, and secondary education institution attended.Regarding the secondary education institution attended, 389 respondents, or 68.61 percent, graduated from private high schools, while 178 respondents, or 31.39 percent, graduated from public high schools.

Respondents' Level of Anxiety in Writing
Table 2 presents the summary of the level of the respondents' anxiety in writing.The process subscale of anxiety in writing pertains to the skills in combining and organizing ideas, using correct vocabulary, using grammar, selecting topics, and employing writing techniques; In the process subscale, the table shows that the College of Business and Accountancy ranked first or most anxious.In this subscale, the respondents expressed anxiety because they have difficulties combining ideas and finding topics to write about, and their minds go blank when they start writing.Kara (2013) found that students experience writing anxiety, especially when they lack a writing habit and are more focused on testbased learning.These students expressed the need for strategies like information gathering, organization, and idea synthesis.This anxiety could be attributed to their comfort with numerical data in fields like business and accountancy, making them feel anxious about writing.However, despite their efforts to study more due to language anxiety's connection to achievement, their performance often does not reflect their efforts.
Other studies have reported that students' anxiety significantly impacts language learning (Sanchez-Herrero et al., 1992; Horwitz, 1991).Respondents with high proficiency in a second language also had writing anxiety and struggled with organizing their ideas due to vocabulary and language skill limitations.
Similarly, engineering students ranked second in the process subscale tend to experience anxiety in writing.Their mathematical inclination leads them to prefer numbers over writing paragraphs.This preference for numbers over vocabulary, grammar, and organization can cause anxiety.To improve their writing, it's essential for them to focus on grammar and vocabulary, as highlighted by Oxford (2004) in second-language writing instruction.
The College of Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM), ranking third in the process subscale, exhibits a significant level of anxiety in the writing process.This suggests that HRM students may lack confidence in their ability to produce suitable compositions.It's possible that HRM students tend to memorize step-by-step procedures, such as recipes and housekeeping, which don't require extensive paragraph organization and idea synthesis since these are typically provided as ready-made lists and descriptions.
Conversely, the College of Teacher Education (CTE) experiences lower process anxiety in writing.Despite facing challenges in combining and organizing ideas, CTE students are more willing to engage in writing and express confidence in their ability to create suitable compositions.This reduced anxiety among CTE students could be attributed to their understanding that they can learn and should acquire writing skills as they are training for the teaching profession.
CTE students may accept writing as integral to their future profession, recognizing its importance.This aligns with Weiner's theory, which suggests that an individual's attribution for success or failure impacts their motivation.Furthermore, the perceived controllability of the causes of events or actions significantly influences an individual's persistence in each task.
In the process subscale, the College of Criminal Justice reports lower anxiety compared to the College of Teacher Education (CTE).
Criminal Justice students attribute their anxiety to vocabulary limitations and a lack of writing techniques.However, they are more willing to engage in writing, believing they can acquire the necessary skills for it.This might be due to their confidence in learning and their determination as criminology students.Alternatively, they may believe that their profession requires less writing, given the use of templates for reports like blotter entries.
The College of Liberal Arts and Computer Studies are tied at the sixth position in the process anxiety ranking, indicating lower anxiety levels.Computer Studies students express a need for more confidence in writing suitable compositions, struggle with finding topics and combining ideas, but are generally less anxious about writing.In terms of product anxiety in writing, the College of Criminal Justice ranks first in anxiety.They express anxiety about seeing their ideas in writing, identifying an audience, and rewriting drafts.Learning writing techniques could potentially help alleviate this anxiety.
The College of Business and Accountancy ranks second in product anxiety, indicating a significant degree of anxiety.Many CBA students are anxious about their ideas in writing, identifying an audience, and rewriting drafts, possibly due to their orientation toward expressing information through figures and numbers.
The College of Customs Administration ranks third in product anxiety.They express more anxiety regarding identifying an audience for their writing and need more confidence in expressing their ideas in writing.
The College of Hotel and Restaurant Management and the College of Engineering share the fourth rank in product anxiety, indicating lower anxiety levels.HRM students struggle with finding topics and combining ideas, which affects their composition quality.Engineering students express anxiety due to difficulties in identifying an audience, lack of confidence in expressing ideas in writing, and reluctance to hand in compositions.
The College of Liberal Arts ranks fifth in the product subscale, suggesting they experience less anxiety.Their anxiety primarily stems from their struggles to identify an audience and express ideas confidently in writing.
The College of Computer Studies ranks sixth in product anxiety despite reporting overall low writing anxiety.They have specific concerns related to identifying an audience, lack of confidence in expressing ideas in writing, and reluctance to hand in compositions.
In the evaluation subscale, the College of Business and Accountancy reports the highest anxiety.CBA students believe they don't write as well as others and avoid composition classes due to fear of having their essays evaluated.
The College of Criminal Justice ranks second in evaluation anxiety, with many criminology students anxious about submitting their writing for publication and being evaluated.They are also hesitant to discuss their writing with peers.
The College of Hotel and Restaurant Management ranks third in evaluation anxiety, expressing significant anxiety about their writing being evaluated and expecting poor evaluations.
These findings align with the connection between language anxiety and achievement, as anxiety doesn't always translate into improved performance (Gardner & McIntyre, 1993).Students' beliefs in their competency affect their ability to learn how to write, emphasizing the role of self-efficacy in writing (Jones, 2008).
In Weiner's assumption, personal factors like previous knowledge and past experiences, as well as environmental factors such as a home or school, influence the kinds of attribution an individual makes or how one interprets experiences.So, the respondents' anticipation of doing poorly in writing is a personal attribution to factors in their experiences regarding writing.
The College of Teacher Education ranks fourth in terms of lower evaluation anxiety.Although they report low overall anxiety, a notable number of respondents from this college express significant anxiety about their writing being evaluated.They lack confidence in clearly expressing their ideas in writing, aligning with Shang's findings that increased writing anxiety correlates with lower perceived writing proficiency.Bandura also suggests that students who have confidence in their essay-writing abilities tend to feel less anxious about the process (Bandura, 1984).
The College of Engineering, the College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Computer Studies rank fifth in their fear of evaluating their writing, indicating minimal anxiety or fear of writing evaluation.However, the data reveal that many respondents from these colleges feel highly anxious about submitting their writings for evaluation and eventual publication due to their belief that they are not proficient writers.Engineering students, with their strong mathematical orientation, may experience an imbalance between their cognitive and affective components, impacting their writing competency.This connects with research by Lee and Krashen (2002), Ehrman and Oxford (1995), and Lett and O'Mara (1990), which identify enjoyment of writing and fear of evaluating one's writing as predictors of written expression.These cognitive and affective components significantly influence English written proficiency, and students often express the need for greater language proficiency in this context.
In the College of Computer Studies, many respondents report high anxiety when evaluating their writing and are hesitant to take composition courses.Some also believe they do not write as well as others.These students might benefit from a study conducted by Ayres and Hopf (1991), which tested visualization exercises to reduce writing anxiety.The study found that visualization decreased participants' writing anxiety and increased their enjoyment of writing, although it did not necessarily make writing easier.The effectiveness of visualization as an intervention for certain aspects of writing anxiety is highlighted.
The College of Customs Administration respondents exhibit the lowest evaluation anxiety among all the colleges.Despite their minor anxiety, they express concern about their writing being evaluated, believing they do not write as well as others and needing greater confidence in expressing their ideas in writing.This aligns with Hassan's (2001) findings that students with higher selfesteem tend to have lower anxiety levels.Increased self-esteem can act as a defense against anxiety, protecting individuals from anxiety-related behaviors (Pyszczynski et al., 1987).Kitano's research (2001) also suggests that students' anxiety levels correlate positively with a diminished perception of their ability in the target language, emphasizing the importance of self-confidence in reducing anxiety.

Respondents' Level of Motivation in Writing
Table 3 presents the summary of the level of the respondents' motivation in the different Colleges.The average of the combined means for intrinsic and extrinsic motivation revealed that the College of Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) respondents ranked first.Based on the data gathered, the HRM respondents' intrinsic motivation has an aggregate mean of 2.76, suggesting they are moderately motivated.The respondents reported being moderately motivated on the indicators expressing a belief that writing can develop their critical thinking, that writing can bring a sense of achievement, and that they want to learn different techniques in writing.On the extrinsic subscale, the HRM respondents are moderately motivated on indicators that they want to learn to write in order to pass the exams or to graduate, that writing can help them find better jobs, that it can help when they go online, and that Filipinos are somehow expected to know how to write, and that writing helps when traveling abroad.
The HRM respondents' reasons for doing well in writing are congruent to Rabideau's (2005) assertion that individuals will satisfy their needs through different means and are driven to succeed for internal and external reasons.As the indicators revealed about the respondents' intrinsic motivation, they believe writing can develop critical thinking and bring a sense of achievement.That is why they want to learn different writing techniques.For external reasons, the indicators reveal that the HRM respondents wanted to do well in writing because they wanted to pass the exams or graduate and find better jobs.
Some theorists suggested that persons tend to assign the cause of action to internal or external factors that seem favorable to them (McLeod, 2013;Heider, 1985).In the HRM respondents' case, their reported motivation level upholds Malle's (2003) statement that an individual's subjective perception of his social world is crucial to people's interaction.This is consequential because the HRM respondents anticipate a career that requires much interaction with people from local and foreign cultures; their intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are parallel with their intentions.The respondents' achievement goal is indicated by their motivation to write well and their desire to demonstrate competence in this skill (Harackiewicz et al., 1997).This upholds John Keller's motivation model wherein motives and expectancy, together with every organized effort to influence motivation, regulate the effort utilized.Thus, the HRM respondents' moderate motivation brought about low writing anxiety because they have an internal attribution of why they want to develop their writing (Anderman & Anderman, 2009).
Second in the rank as to motivation in writing are the respondents from the College of Business and Accountancy (CBA).Out of the 22 indicators about the intrinsic subscale of motivation, the respondents from the College of Business and Accountancy had an aggregate mean of 2.72, which showed that intrinsically, the respondents are moderately motivated in writing.In four of the 22 indicators, the respondents from CBA reported as highly motivated.These statements pertain to the respondents' desire to learn different writing techniques and wanting to write well, belief that learning to write helps develop critical thinking and increases knowledge.
In twelve of the 22 indicators of intrinsic motivation, the respondents from CBA rated as moderately motivated.These statements concern their being attentive in writing classes, writing as much as they can, correcting their mistakes once they receive back their write-ups, asking the teachers' help with their writing, doing personal reviews of what is taught in their writing class, writing down lyrics of songs they listen to, finding opportunities to practice writing daily, studying how to write and learning to write well, and the belief that learning to write brings a sense of achievement.
The respondents from CBA rated less motivated in six indicators concerning their willingness to write in their writing class, skimming their writing assignments, taking writing lessons somewhere else if writing is not taught in school, writing down the lines of the host of the TV programs they watch, saying no to the teacher when asked to do a writing assignment, and not studying for their writing class when there is no tests or assignments.The data has not indicated a "not motivated" answer among the respondents.
Table 3 also presents the level of the CBA respondents' extrinsic motivation in writing (CBA), wherein an aggregate mean of 3.04 is reported.This shows that extrinsically, the respondents are moderately motivated.Among the 16 indicators of extrinsic motivation, the data indicated that respondents from CBA rated highly motivated in four statements expressing the belief that everyone in the Philippines should know how to write, that writing can raise their social status, and help them find better jobs.
Learning to write is needed to pass exams or to graduate.
Indicators reported by the CBA respondents as moderately motivated concern their desire to learn to write because they want to know more about British and American cultures; they believe that writing will broaden their horizon; they believe their parents and also their superiors at work would want them to learn to write; they believe that writing is useful when traveling or studying abroad, migrating, and making friends with foreigners.
Only one statement on the extrinsic motivation subscale is reported by the respondents from the CBA as less motivated--this pertains to their wanting to write because they like foreigners.None of the respondents reported "not motivated" in any of the indicators of their extrinsic motivation.
The CBA respondents' motivational disposition parallels McClelland and Atkinson's (1964) achievement motivation model.Because the respondents generally have average or above average IQs, as required of students in their program, they show a higher need for achievement.As McClelland and Atkinson posited, the n-Ach person is highly motivated to seek achievement and attain goals that he can influence with his effort and ability for better chances of success.The respondents' need to achieve and the suitable prompt or incentive, which is to pass the subject, graduate, and find a better job, among others, made up the respondents' situational motivation to choose behavior that ensures their gaining of the targeted incentive (Schuller et al., 2010;Shultheiss et al., 2008;Spangler, 1992).The CBA respondents' high motive to achieve success made them sensitive to achievement cues, as shown in the indicators expressing that everyone in the Philippines should know how to write, that being able to write can raise their social status, that it can help them find better jobs; and that learning to write is needed to pass exams or to graduate.
Third in the ranking as to motivation in writing are the respondents from the College of Liberal Arts (CLA).Regarding intrinsic motivation, the respondents have an aggregate mean of 2.76, indicative of being moderately motivated.In this subscale, an excellent number of the respondents rated highly motivated intrinsically on indicators of their wanting to learn to write, their belief that writing will help develop critical thinking and increase their knowledge, and their wanting to learn writing techniques.These indicators expressed the respondents' achievement goals and the high self-efficacy component of motivation (Pajares et al., 2000).However, some respondents expressed that they need more motivation in terms of their willingness to volunteer to write, ask for the teacher's help when they have writing problems, and study for their writing class.
Regarding extrinsic motivation, the CLA respondents show an aggregate mean of 2.93, indicating moderately motivated.Nonetheless, most of the CLA respondents reported being highly motivated on indicators of their wanting to learn to write to pass exams or graduate, and they believe writing can help them find better jobs.Moreover, many respondents rated moderately motivated on indicators that they study for their writing class because they do not want to get a failing grade.However, a few respondents rated less motivated on the indicators about wanting to learn to write because they like foreign people or foreign cultures.
The CLA respondents' mean scores on the extrinsic indicators rated as highly motivated revealed that they have higher instrumental motivation.For them, learning to write is a way to help them pass exams, graduate or not fail in the subject, and have an edge in landing better jobs (Teweles, 1995).It could be a consideration also that these respondents are aiming for careers in call centers and administrative offices in some companies, as well as in teaching; thus, the respondents exhibited the motivation components of milieu and linguistic self-confidence The respondents from the College of Computer Studies (CCS) rank fourth in the level of motivation in writing.In both the intrinsic and extrinsic components of motivation, the aggregate means of 2.70 and 2.97, respectively, indicated that the respondents are moderately motivated.
They reported moderately motivated intrinsically on indicators expressing their being attentive in a writing class, trying to write as much as they can, wanting to learn different techniques in writing, correcting their mistakes once they get their writing assignments back, taking writing class somewhere else if it has not taught in school; believing that learning to write helps develop critical thinking, reviewing what is taught in a writing class; being interested to learn to write well; and believing that learning to write brings a sense of achievement.However, the CCS respondents reported being less motivated intrinsically on the indicators regarding their willingness to volunteer to write, skimming their writing assignments, studying very hard in their writing class as they study only when there are assignments, and wanting to learn to write to increase their knowledge.
The respondents reported being moderately motivated in all but one indicator expressing extrinsic motivation.The indicators in which they scored a higher mean include: • writing can help them find better jobs, • writing is required to pass exams or graduate or not fail in the subject, and • it is helpful when they go online.
They reported being less motivated to learn to write so they could befriend foreigners.
The CCS respondents manifested an external solid regulation, the first level of self-determination associated with extrinsic motivation.This means that the respondents intend to get a reward or partial benefit or avoid punishment.In this case, the reward means passing the subject, and the punishment means failing the subject.
According to studies on self-determination, internal and external motivation are not contradictory but operate in a continuum of self-determination.The data revealed that the respondents' intrinsic motivation supports their external motivation.That is shown in the indicators they rated moderately motivated in the intrinsic subscale.To reiterate, some of these intrinsic indicators expressed their being attentive in a writing class, trying to write as much as they can, wanting to learn different techniques in writing, correcting their mistakes once they get their writing assignments back, taking writing class somewhere else if it's not taught in school; believing that learning to write helps develop critical thinking, reviewing what is taught in writing class; being interested to learn to write well; and believing that learning to write brings a sense of achievement.The respondents' stand on these indicators affirms that study time and the decision to continue studying the second language are positively related to outcomes of interest, as Bernard (2010) reported.
The College of Teacher Education (CTE) respondents rank fifth in the respondents' level of motivation in writing.Concerning intrinsic motivation, the data demonstrates that the respondents are moderately motivated, as indicated by the aggregate mean of 2.72.But it is interesting to note that a viable number of the respondents from CTE reflected as being highly motivated on the indicators that they want to learn to write well, that they want to learn different writing techniques, that learning to write will develop their critical thinking and increase their knowledge, that writing is a challenge they like to take, and that learning to write brings them a sense of achievement.However, several respondents reported less motivation on indicators about taking opportunities to learn to write, such as volunteering to write, skimming their writing assignment, declining if asked by the teacher to do a writing assignment, writing down information from TV or lyrics of songs; and studying for writing class if there were no assignments or tests.
In the subscale of extrinsic motivation, respondents from the College of Teacher Education have an aggregate mean of 2.93, which still indicates being moderately motivated.In this subscale, many CTE respondents have reflected as highly motivated on indicators that they want to learn to write because they want to pass exams or the subject and to graduate.Moreover, several respondents were moderately motivated by indicators about the need for everyone in the Philippines to know how to write.It raises their social status and helps them when traveling abroad.In addition, the respondents reported being less motivated only on indicators about their wanting to learn to write because they like foreigners.
The CTE respondents' motivation demonstrates the three-component model of motivation espoused by Gardner (1985).The components are intensity of motivation, desire to learn the language, and attitudes toward learning the language.As revealed by the indicators where the respondents rated highly motivated--they want to learn to write because they want to pass exams or the subject and to graduate, and as moderately motivated on indicators about the need for everyone in the Philippines to know how to write for it raises their social status and helps when traveling abroad.These indicators also exhibit the CTE respondents' dispositional attribution that one pursuing a career in teaching should know how to write, as well as their situational attribution that is patterned in their collectivist cultural orientation--that someone in the teaching career should know how to write and that raises their social status as well as provide the respondents the validation of their faith in their cultural worldview and self-esteem.Both attributions factor in the moderate motivation in writing and low writing anxiety of the CTE respondents.
Ranking sixth in the level of motivation in writing are the College of Customs Administration respondents, whose aggregate mean in the intrinsic subscale is 2.63 and an aggregate mean of 2.81 in the extrinsic subscale.Both means are indicative that the respondents are moderately motivated.A considerable number of respondents reported being moderately motivated on the majority of the indicators in the intrinsic subscale, such as expressing interest in writing, writing as much as they can, bringing them a sense of achievement, writing can increasing their knowledge and develop their critical thinking, and that they want to learn different writing techniques, that they are very attentive in writing class, that they review what has been taught in writing class and that they wanted to learn to write well.
However, there are a number of respondents from the College of Customs Administration who reported less motivation on specific intrinsic motivation indicators, such as asking the teacher's help if they have problems with their writing assignments, skimming through their writing assignments, declining when asked by the teacher to do a write-up, and not studying for writing class when there are no scheduled exams.
The respondents' report on the moderately motivated indicators in the intrinsic subscale is consistent with their reported issues about writing.This means that the respondents' implicit motivational disposition brought about the spontaneous behavior as reported by the above intrinsic indicators, wherein the respondents show interest in writing, are very attentive in writing class, want to learn different writing techniques, review what has been taught in writing class, and want to learn to write well.Thus, the Customs Administration respondents' intrinsic motivation explains their low writing anxiety.
On the extrinsic subscale, most College of Customs Administration respondents reported moderately motivated indicators expressing convictions that writing can help them find better jobs, broaden their horizons, and learn to help them pass exams and graduate.Still, several respondents reported lower means on extrinsic indicators, for example, wanting to learn to write because they like to befriend foreigners or that they like foreign cultures.This reveals that the respondents' interest in writing, as shown by their intrinsic motivation indicators, influenced their extrinsic motivation, as revealed in their desire to learn to write for reasons of personal development of the skill of writing and as a way of not failing in writing class, and of finding better jobs.This conforms with Shuller et al.'s (2010) report regarding McClelland's contention that the competencies of individuals will only be demonstrated if they are engaged in activities they like to do, which consequently will reveal aspects of their competence that will facilitate their success.
The respondents from the College of Engineering ranked seventh in the level of motivation in writing.The aggregate mean of the intrinsic motivation subscale is 2.55, indicating that the respondents are moderately motivated.Interestingly, a viable number of the respondents reported being moderately motivated on indicators stating that they want to learn different techniques in writing, that they believe writing will develop their critical thinking and increase their knowledge, and that they want to learn to write well.
On the other hand, some of the respondents rated as less motivated on indicators about their volunteering to write, asking for the teacher's help with their writing problems, taking writing lessons somewhere else if writing is not taught in school, declining when given a writing assignment; finding opportunities to practice writing; reviewing what has taught in a writing class; and studying for writing class if there were no assignments or tests.
On the extrinsic subscale, the aggregate mean is 2.80, showing that the respondents are moderately motivated.In this subscale, a considerable number of the respondents reflected moderate motivation on the indicators that they want to learn to write to pass exams or graduate, to help them find better jobs, to get a passing mark, and to use when they go online.However, on some indicators, the respondents from the College of Engineering rated as less motivated, appertaining to statements that they want to learn writing because they like foreigners or foreign cultures.
Since the engineering respondents are immersed in a mathematical-scientific field, their motivation in writing is more on the instrumental component, wherein the respondents' attribution influenced their motivation.
(Anderman & Anderman, 2009) As to why they need to exert effort in a given task, in this case, the motivation in writing for these respondents involved their goal orientation, motive matching, and familiarity.These, in turn, consisted of the categories of relevance as a feature in John Keller's (1979) ARCS model of motivation.Considering Keller's model, the engineering respondents' perception of relevance in writing includes earning a passing mark in a writing class because they believe it is an edge for them to graduate and an edge in landing better jobs.
The respondents with the least motivation in writing are from the College of Criminal Justice.The respondents have an aggregate mean of 2.45 for the intrinsic motivation subscale, indicating that they are less motivated.It is worth noting that the respondents from the College of Criminal Justice reported less motivated intrinsically on the statements pertaining to being attentive in writing classes, correcting their mistakes once they get their writing assignment back, asking the teacher's help concerning their writing problems, wanting to learn different techniques in writing, reviewing or practicing what has been taught in their writing class, and refusing to do a write up if assigned by the teacher.
For the extrinsic component of motivation, the respondents from the College of Criminal Justice have an aggregate mean of 2.66, indicating that they are moderately motivated.The top indicators for extrinsic motivation among these respondents include writing as helpful when using the computer, writing as helping in finding better jobs and writing as helping to pass exams and graduate.The respondents rated less motivated in the one statement that expressed a desire to learn to write to make friends with foreign people.
The College of Criminal Justice respondents' report on being intrinsically less motivated can be because they do not perceive writing as crucial in the profession they intend to pursue.As reflected by the respondents' report on intrinsic indicators, they are not inclined to be attentive in writing classes, correct their mistakes once they get their writing assignment back, ask the teacher's help concerning their writing problems, learn different techniques in writing, reviewing or practicing what has been taught in their writing class, and to do a write up if assigned by the teacher.
Their moderate extrinsic motivation, however, resulted from the fact that writing is required in their curriculum, so they need to earn a passing grade to graduate.It can be inferred that the respondents from the College of Criminal Justice' have an instrumental motivation (Burke, 2004;Gardner et al., 2004;Noels et al., 2001), but this is undermined by their perception that they have low writing proficiency as these respondents ranked as the most anxious in writing among all the respondents from the eight colleges represented in this study.Although there is no relationship between self-efficacy and the general self-confidence of the respondents (Daly & Wilson, 1983), their low self-efficacy is manifested when it comes to writing because self-efficacy manifests as a situation and subject-specific personal confidence in one's aptitude to accomplish tasks at a certain level.
Since the Criminology respondents have no intrinsic interest in writing, the enjoyment of learning it and the long-term retention do not factor in their achievement motivation.For these respondents, the incentive value of writing in their intended career could be higher; thus, it is not supported by the strength of their motive (Kaplan, 2009).These respondents could also fall into the stereotype implied in McClelland- Atkinson's (1964) achievement motivation model, which suggested that some persons from some sectors are inherently low in achievement motivation.This, however, is contradicted by some studies saying that achievement motivation should be an interaction between the positive affective arousal brought about by the capability of achievement and the negative arousal brought about by the possibility of failure (Elliot & Convington, 2001).This is demonstrated in the data showing that despite the respondents' low intrinsic motivation almost undermining their extrinsic motivation, the possibility of failing in writing class afforded them the prod to expend the needed effort to succeed in writing.
Particularly for these respondents, success in writing is just compliance to earn a passing mark.

Significant Relationship Between the Respondents' Profile and Anxiety in Writing and Motivation in Writing.
Table 4 shows the significance of the relationship between the respondents' profile -gender, course, and type of high school, and their level of anxiety in writing in three subscales, which are a process, product, and evaluation, as well as the relationship between the respondents' level of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and their profile.The table shows a significant relationship between gender and the respondents' level of writing anxiety in the process and evaluation subscales.However, gender does not significantly relate to the product subscale.Gender also correlates significantly with intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
Studies on attitude to writing and its influence on success or failure in previous writing experiences have discovered that women had more positive attitudes concerning writing.Another study reported that girls in English class manifested less anxiety and exhibited a more positive attitude towards English (Hussain et al., 2011).
Women are more stable in their emotional reactions when faced with stressful or relaxing situations (Spielberger, 1983).Conversely, men were less positive in their attitude toward writing and experienced more anxiety than women.
Shang (2013) reported that more anxious men earned higher scores on writing tests.On the contrary, the studies of Machida (2001) and Aida (1994) discovered that female students were more anxious than their male counterparts.It is relevant to what Cheng (2004) suggested in his study that language teachers' fostering of students' positive and realistic perception of their writing competence is as important as developing students' writing skills.Therefore, the results of the present study indicate a need for further research on the dimensions of writing anxiety.
Table 4 also exhibits a significant relationship between course and the three subscales of writing anxiety.Course correlates significantly with both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.The data regarding course and motivation revealed that more respondents got higher mean scores on intrinsic indicators that expressed their interest in learning different writing techniques and perceived writing as a help to develop critical thinking, knowledge, and a sense of achievement.
The data show the same trend regarding extrinsic indicators stating that they do not want to fail in writing class, that learning to write will help them pass or graduate, that writing can help them get better jobs, and that writing is practical when they go online.
As Bernard (2010) has cited, intrinsic motivation in foreign language learning was positively related to several outcomes of interest, like study time and the decision to continue studying the second language, while extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, relates to reasons for undertaking the task because of its instrumental benefits.In this scenario, the inherent activity incentives influence implicit motives, and the social incentives will interplay with self-attributed motives (Spangler, 1992).As espoused by selfdetermination theory, internal and external motivations are not contradictory but operate in a continuum of self-determination when an individual intends to get a reward or partial benefit or to avoid punishment.Without reward or punishment, the person will not be motivated.
Furthermore, situational motivations that result from the interaction between learned preferences for particular incentives (dispositional needs that manifest) and the suitable prompt in the environment (incentive offered) will prod the individual to cues that would lead to the attainment of the targeted incentive (Schuller et al., 2010;McClelland, 1964).As a result, the individual will choose the behavior to ensure gaining the said incentive.Respondents who have a high motive to succeed (achievement motive) are thus sensitive to achievement cues, attend to achievement tasks more quickly, and keep on these tasks longer in contrast to those who have a low achievement motive.Achievement motivation is significant for positively motivated individuals and less for the negatively motivated (Revelle & Michaels, 1991).This construct affords a relevant way of investigating and understanding learners' classroom motivation regarding what environmental and personal factors influence learners' attributions, which affect ultimate motivation toward a given task or activity (Anderman & Anderman, 2009).

Significant Difference in the Respondents' Writing Anxiety When Grouped According to Profile
Table 6 reveals the significant difference between the respondents' psychosocial predictors when grouped according to profile and writing anxiety.Table 6 shows the significant difference in the respondents' psychosocial predictors of writing problems when grouped according to their profile and writing anxiety.
When grouped according to gender and level of writing anxiety in the three subscales of the process, product, and evaluation, only in the subscale of process did the respondents' gender show a significant difference between male and female.Furthermore, the table shows no significant difference between the gender and the respondents' writing anxiety levels in the product and evaluation subscales.
When grouped according to the course being taken and the writing anxiety levels, no significant difference is indicated among the respondents' courses and their writing anxiety in the subscales of process and products of writing.However, a significant difference is reported between the respondents' course and their writing anxiety level in the evaluation subscale.
When grouped according to the secondary education institution attended, there is no significant difference between the respondents' secondary education institution and the level of their writing anxiety in all three subscales--the process, product, and evaluation.Thus, Atay and Kurt (2006) are correct that proficiency might not be the sole determinant of writing anxiety level.Nonetheless, the writer's anxiety affects the quality of narrative or descriptive writings that delve into subjects requiring disclosure of personal feelings, experiences, and attitudes (Faigly et al., 1981).
Results from the study by Rubin and Rafoth (2006) indicated that the social cognitive assessments of college students predicted 26% of the variance in judged quality of persuasive writing.Results confirm that social cognition is most important in persuasive writing but do not support a strong disclaimer of the title of audience awareness in non-suasive discourse.

Significant Difference in the Respondents' Writing Motivation When Grouped According to Profile.
Table 7 presents the significant difference in the respondents' psychosocial predictors of writing when grouped according to profile--that consists of gender, course, the secondary institution attended, and their level of motivation in writing.Table 7 reveals a significant difference in the respondents' psychosocial predictors when grouped according to profile and writing motivation.However, this significant difference is reported only in gender and course as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation determinants.Furthermore, the table shows no significant difference between the type of high school and the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of the respondents.
The data imply that writing style is predictive of the degree of personal involvement in writing an essay rather than predictive of the complexity of the outcome.As postulated by John Keller ( 2006;1979), motives and expectancy, together with every organized effort to influence motivation, will regulate the effort utilized.Efforts exerted on an individual's abilities, skills, and knowledge, including every attempt to plan and direct the learning experience, will influence performance.Performance coupled with any design of contingencies will decide the result or outcome.
The preceding discussions on the findings of this study revealed how the psychosocial predictors in writing influenced the respondents' attribution and achievement motivation.

Conclusion
This study delved into the psychosocial factors contributing to writing-related challenges among college students at the University of Cebu Main Campus.This study revealed that individual characteristics and gender differences play a role in students' experiences of writing anxiety and motivation.Moreover, the research has uncovered a compelling link between students' chosen academic programs and their psychosocial predictors of writing difficulties.This underscores the importance of acknowledging the diverse needs and challenges students across different disciplines face regarding writing proficiency.These findings contribute to the literature on writing anxiety and suggest the need for a targeted intervention program at the university to alleviate writing anxiety and improve motivation among students, ultimately enhancing writing outcomes.This nuanced perspective offers educators and institutions a more comprehensive understanding of writing apprehension's complexities.

Recommendations
Based on the enumerated findings, studies on the following phenomena are recommended: This study rests on the Achievement Motivation Theory of David McClelland and John William Atkinson.It is supported by the Three-Dimensional Theory of Attribution by Bernard Weiner and the Motivation Theory of John Keller.

4 = very high writing anxiety 3 =
moderate writing anxiety Two = low writing anxiety 1 = No writing anxiety Statements dealing with process anxiety are items 14 to 22. Statements dealing with product anxiety are items 23 to 28.Statements dealing with evaluation anxiety are items 1 to 13.

Frequency
and simple percentages were used to summarize and analyze the profile of the respondents.Weighted Mean was used to summarize and analyze the respondents perceived psychosocial predictors of writing problems.The mean ranges and interpretations are as follows: Level of writing anxiety 3.25-4.00= very high writing anxiety 2.50-3.24= moderate writing anxiety 1.75-2.49= low writing anxiety 1.74 = no writing anxiety Level of writing motivation 3.25-4.00= highly motivated 2.50-3.24= moderately motivated 1.75-2.49= less motivated 1.74 = not motivated Elaborative and low self-efficacy writing styles were predictive of writing apprehension.This conforms to Johnson and Pajares (1994), Bruning et al. (1989), and McCarthy et al. (1995) findings that self-efficacy is a strong indicator of actual ability.Students who feel intensely competent to perform specific writing skills can do so.

Table 1
Of the 567 respondents, 328, or 57.85 percent of the respondents are female since UC Main is generally a female-dominated campus, and 239, or 42.15 percent, are male.As to course or college, 121 respondents, or 21.34 percent, are from the College of Business and Accountancy, 30 respondents, or 5.29 percent, are from the College of Customs Administration, 33 respondents, or 5.82 percent, are from the College of Criminal Justice, 99 respondents or 17.46 percent are from the College of Computer Studies, 74 respondents or 13.05 percent are from the College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, 58 respondents or 10.23 percent are from the College of Liberal Arts, 100 respondents or 17.64 percent are from the College of Engineering, and 52 respondents or 9.17 percent are from the College of Teacher Education.The Colleges of Business and Accountancy, Engineering, and Computer Studies compose the more significant percentage of respondents because these colleges have the highest enrolment this second semester.
displays the respondents' profile regarding gender, degree program or college they belong to, and secondary education institution attended.

Table 2 Summary of the Level of the Respondents' Anxiety in Writing
The table reveals that although all the respondents from the eight colleges of UC-Main Campus have low writing anxiety, the College of Business and Accountancy and the College of Criminal Justice were the most anxious in writing among the eight (8) colleges.