Anxiety, Confidence, and a Little Bit of Mindfulness

Title

Anxiety, Confidence, and a Little Bit of Mindfulness

Creator

Lydia N. Lisetski

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Interpreting Studies

Project Type

Action Research Project

Date

6/15/2025

Abstract

In this action research project, I investigate the root cause of my anxiety during freelance
interpreting assignments. To explore this, I made audio recordings after each assignment, noting the setting details, demands that impacted my work, and reflecting on my emotional state and overall performance. These recordings were then transcribed and analyzed for common themes, revealing that when teaming with seasoned interpreters, working in unfamiliar environments, or in high-visibility settings, my anxiety heightened and affected my performance. Existing literature suggests that this anxiety may stem from factors like perceived low self-efficacy, imposter syndrome, or a lack of psychological safety. To address this, I examined the effectiveness of mindfulness practices, including breathing exercises, positive affirmations, journaling, and meditation, in reducing my anxiety and boosting self-confidence. I created a self-assessment to evaluate these practices after each freelance assignment, answering both open-and closed-ended questions about the setting, the mindfulness technique used, my anxiety level during the interpretation, and my confidence in my performance. The findings uncovered three key insights: journaling was most effective in reducing anxiety and improving confidence; my anxiety and confidence levels had a negative correlation; and environmental factors played a significant role in my emotional response during and after assignments. These results suggest that interpreter education should emphasize emotional readiness alongside technical skills, with greater support for confidence-building and coping strategies. Future research could benefit from longer data collection periods, more consistent testing environments, and broader participant samples to better assess the long-term impact of mindfulness and interpreting-related anxiety.

Keywords

Anxiety

confidence

mindfulness

Committee Member

Elisa Maroney

Erin Trine

Rights

Western Oregon University Library has determined, as of 06/20/2025, this item is in copyright, which is held by the author. Users may use the item in accordance with copyright limitations and exceptions, including fair use. For other uses, please ask permission from the author.

https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en

Language

eng

sgn-US

Type

Text

Identifier

LydiaLisetski_ARP_2025