Demotivating Factors as Indicators of Academic English Needs among Saudi ESL Students of Prince Sattam bin Abdul Aziz University, Al Kharj

As English continues to occupy a central role in global communication, education, and professional development, understanding the barriers that reduce learners’ motivation remains critical for improving academic outcomes in English as a Second Language (ESL) contexts. Although previous research has identified various challenges facing Saudi learners, limited attention has been paid to how multiple sources of demotivation shape learners’ perceived ability to function academically through English. Hence, the current study intends to analyze the demotivating factors influencing Saudi undergraduate students’ perceived academic English proficiency in a university context. Using a quantitative research design, the data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to a sample of 150 undergraduate students, and the data analysis was done using SPSS Statistics. The study assessed distinct categories of demotivating factors, including teacher-related, curriculum-related, psychological, and institutional/environmental, alongside students’ self-reported proficiency. The findings revealed high levels of demotivation across all categories, with psychological factors emerging as the strongest negative predictor of self-rated academic English proficiency, followed by institutional/environmental constraints. Curriculum-related factors also demonstrated a significant effect, whereas teacher-related demotivation showed no significant predictive power when the other variables were controlled. These results illuminate the central role of emotional and contextual barriers in shaping students’ engagement with academic English tasks and their overall learning experiences. The study contributes to English for Academic Purposes (EAP) literature by demonstrating the imperative role of demotivation as a lens for EAP needs analysis and the importance of institutional and curricular support in enhancing academic English engagement.