The 2nd VietCALL International Convention (VietCALL 2026)

Academic social comparison may shape students’ experiences of academic stress, particularly in foreign-language education. This study examines the relationships between upward and downward academic social comparison and academic stress among 180 second- and third-year foreign-language undergraduates at a university in Hanoi, Vietnam. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected through adapted academic social comparison and educational stress scales and analyzed using correlation and multiple regression analyses. Both upward (β = .492, p < .001) and downward (β = .159, p = .022) comparisons were positively associated with academic stress, with upward comparison showing a stronger association. Together, these variables explained 33.8% of the variance in academic stress. The findings suggest that even downward comparison may not necessarily serve a stress-reducing function. The study highlights the importance of fostering constructive peer comparison and providing targeted academic stress support in foreign-language education.
Keywords: Academic social comparison; Academic stress; Upward comparison; Downward comparison; Foreign-language undergraduates.