Impacts of self-esteem and social exposure on English willingness to communicate during internship

Abstract English proficiency and communication confidence are vital for graduates entering internationalized workplaces. This study investigates how self-esteem and social exposure factors predict Thai university students’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in English during internships. The participants were 312 final-year undergraduate students undertaking internship programs in the workplace. To address the research objectives, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the effects of self-esteem, father’s education level, number of foreign friends, and time spent using English on social media on students’ WTC in three communication contexts: with strangers, acquaintances, and friends. The findings indicate that self-esteem consistently and significantly predicts WTC across all contexts. On the other hand, social exposure factors, particularly having foreign friends and frequent use of English online, play a more important role in unfamiliar environments, such as communication with strangers. The results support integrated frameworks of second language communication, emphasizing the dynamic interaction between personal and environmental variables. This study contributes to language learning theory and offers practical implications for teachers, educators, and those involved in enhancing students’ self-esteem and promoting authentic language exposure both online and in-person, which can increase their WTC in English.