Second Language
Research has shown that self-perceived competence, number of years speaking English and years of residency in the US were NOT better predictors of state communication apprehension while speaking English than temperament or pre-existing trait PSA. This means that a person was not likely to be apprehensive speaking English unless they were nervous in general, even speaking in their native language. This evidence moves to support that PSA is actually a nature-based phenomenon. Below is an example of a transfer student. She experiences state anxiety for a short while when she first arrives in the US but because she is not generally a nervous person, she gets over it quickly as she will inform you: