The current study reports on three investigations of (1) the predictive power of four skill-based anxieties in students’ perceptions of English competence (PEC) and their intention to continue English studies (ITC), (2) the possibility of gender as a moderator in the relationships between the four skill-based anxieties in students’ PEC and ITC, and (3)factorial similarity of the four skill-based anxiety scales across gender. Results of the study support the following three findings. First, only writing and speaking anxieties made an independent contribution to students’ PEC, with writing anxiety playing a substantially more important role. The higher level of L2 writing anxiety was also observed in students’ ITC, but its effect was moderate. Second, gender was found to moderate only the relationship between writing anxiety and students’ PEC. Third, test bias was detected in three of the four skill-based anxiety scales, thus indicating factorial similarity across gender only for the speaking anxiety scale. Pedagogical implications associated with the findings are also discussed.

Abstract
1. INTRODUCTION
2. RESEARCH BACKGROUND
3. METHODS
4. RESULTS
5. DISCUSSION
6. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS
REFERENCES

• Tae-Il Pae(Yeungnam University)