The Role of Uncertainty Tolerance in Enhancing Intercultural Communication Competence among High School Students in Morocco: A Quantitative Analysis

Abstract

This study investigates the role of uncertainty tolerance in enhancing intercultural communication competence among high school students in Morocco, drawing on W. Gudykunst’s anxiety/uncertainty management theory. Although previous studies have confirmed the theory's core principles through correlational analysis, there remains a lack of empirical research on how uncertainty tolerance impacts the perceived effectiveness of intercultural communication, particularly within the context of Moroccan educational settings. The study employed a quantitative approach with a sample of 104 English as a foreign language (EFL) high school students learning. The sample included 60 female and 44 male students. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the overall level of uncertainty tolerance, while differences between these two categories of students were examined using an independent samples t-test .Additionally, to explore the relationship between uncertainty tolerance and intercultural communication competence, Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed .The results indicate that the students exhibit a moderate level of uncertainty tolerance. This was reflected in the mean score of 48.2. Whereas, the t-test revealed no significant difference between male and female students in terms of uncertainty tolerance (p-value = 0.20). However, the study found a positive correlation between uncertainty tolerance and intercultural communication competence (r = 0.35), suggesting that students with higher uncertainty tolerance tend to have better intercultural communication skills.