Discourse Analysis of Performance Anxiety among University Students: From Social Pressure to Internalized Self

Abstract

This study employed critical discourse analysis to examine the structure of performance anxiety among university students. Data were collected through interviews with 15 students reporting high levels of performance anxiety. Analysis was conducted using Fairclough’s framework. Three dominant discourses were identified: “competitive elitism,” “internalization of external expectations,” and “self-representation as inadequate.” These discourses were closely tied to educational, cultural, and familial structures, reconstructing performance anxiety as a socio-psychological phenomenon. The findings suggest the need for reform in academic counseling and institutional expectations.