SELF-PERCEIVED COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE AS A PREDICTOR OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' IDEAL L2 SELF: A PLS-SEM APPROACH

Abstract

Self-perceived communication competence (SPCC) is a key psychological predictor, as students’ perceptions of their communicative capabilities mostly influence classroom participation, confidence, and their desired future language identity. This quantitative cross-sectional study investigated the predictive role of SPCC in shaping university learners’ Ideal L2 Self (IL2S), which is theoretically grounded in McCroskey’s concept of SPCC and Dornyei’s L2MSS. The SPCC and Ideal L2 Self (IL2S) of the 180 undergraduate Management Sciences (BBA) students were measured using an established SPCC questionnaire and a five-item adaptation of the Ideal L2 Self (IL2S) questionnaire from Ryan’s (2008) Language Learning Motivation Questionnaire (LLMQ). The research data were analyzed through SEM in SmartPLS 4. The structural model indicated that SPCC positively and significantly predicted students’ Ideal L2 Self (IL2S) (β = 0.412, t = 7.630, p < 0.001). It explained (8.8%) of the variance in learners’ Ideal L2 Self (IL2S) (R² = 0.088) and showed a small-to-medium effect size (f² = 0.098). Findings from this research suggested that students with strong perceptions of their communication competence are more likely to perceive themselves as efficient English speakers in the future. Moreover, improving their self-perceived communicative confidence may effectively support their English learning and enhance their future L2 identity in the context of higher education.