[en] The purpose of this dissertation is to contribute to the field of second language (L2) communication strategies (CS) and, particularly, to examine which factors or combinations of factors are involved in the use and development of effective CS in L2 speakers. According to the review of the relevant literature, there is a series of potentially affecting factors that may influence or be connected to CS use, though their role remains controversial. The research questions in the present study are thus formulated with reference to the following factors: learning context (study abroad or SA vs. at-home courses or AH), attention control, analytic ability, language learning strategies (LLS) and proficiency level. Particular attention is paid to learning context as an affecting factor via an exploration of which of the other factors predict CS effectiveness development in each of the contexts under study. The relevant constructs are measured for 65 adult Spanish intermediate to upper-intermediate learners of English as an L2. Within that sample, 33 learners participated in a SA programme in an English-speaking country for four months, while the remaining 32 took around 15 hours of university courses taught in English in Spanish universities (AH group) over the same time period. The use of CS in English L2 communication was assessed both at the beginning (T1) and at the end (T2) of the testing period in order to account for the effect of learning context on the development of effective CS. Effectiveness in CS implementation was measured by means of a double analysis approach, consisting of an in-situ assessment performed by raters, and the application of a systematic CS effectiveness measurement instrument, the mini-Delphi scale (Montero, Serrano & Llanes, 2013). The results of the present study suggest, first, that there is no significant effect of either SA or AH L2 learning context or of proficiency level on the development of effective CS, at least over a period of four months. Second, attention control, analytic ability and LLS do not seem to be connected to the use of effective CS in L2 communication. The correlation between proficiency level and effective CS use seems to align with previous studies in indicating that more proficient L2 learners are more effective CS users. Finally, the results indicate that there are certain interactions between learning context and some of the other factors under analysis. More specifically, the results reveal that participants in the AH context with higher analytic ability develop their CS effectiveness to a greater extent than those with a lower analytic ability over a period of four months. Findings in the present study also suggest that SA students with higher attention control tend to develop more effective CS than those with lower attention control, although this connection is not as clear and therefore needs further research. This dissertation makes an original contribution to the CS research area by studying connections that have presumably not been investigated before, such as the possible influence of attention control and LLS on CS use, and also the possible interactions between L2 learning context (both SA and AH) and other factors with an effect on the development of effective CS. Additionally, this dissertation provides further empirical evidence to other controversial or understudied areas, such as the effect of learning context on CS effectiveness development and the connection between analytic ability and effective CS use.

[es] El propósito de esta tesis doctoral es investigar posibles conexiones entre una serie de factores y combinaciones de estos factores, y el uso y desarrollo de estrategias de comunicación (EC) eficaces para la comunicación en segundas lenguas (L2). Las preguntas de investigación de este estudio se basan en estudios previos que han sugerido posibles conexiones entre el uso de EC y los siguientes factores: contexto de aprendizaje de la L2 (estancia en el extranjero vs. cursos en el país de origen), control de la atención, habilidad analítica, estrategias de aprendizaje de lenguas (EAL) y nivel de competencia en la L2. Se presta especial atención al contexto de aprendizaje al analizar cuáles de los otros factores predicen el desarrollo de EC eficaces en cada contexto. La muestra seleccionada consta de 65 universitarios hispanohablantes con un nivel de intermedio a intermedio-alto de inglés como L2. Entre ellos, 33 han participado en un programa de intercambio con universidades de países angloparlantes durante cuatro meses, mientras que los 32 restantes han tomado unas 15 horas semanales de cursos universitarios impartidos en lengua inglesa en el país de origen durante un periodo similar. Los resultados de este estudio indican que, aparentemente, no hay un efecto significativo de ninguno de los contextos de aprendizaje observados, ni del nivel de competencia inicial, ni del progreso realizado en el nivel de competencia en el desarrollo de EC eficaces en un periodo de cuatro meses. El control de la atención, la habilidad analítica y las EAL tampoco parecen estar conectadas con el uso eficaz de EC. La correlación entre nivel de competencia en L2 y eficacia en el uso de EC parece señalar, como han hecho estudios anteriores, que los hablantes de L2 con un nivel de competencia más alto utilizan EC con más eficacia. Finalmente, se observa que, en el contexto de cursos en el país de origen, aquellos estudiantes con más habilidad analítica son los que desarrollan EC más eficaces. También se revelan indicios, aunque menos claros, de que los estudiantes en el extranjero con más control de la atención podrían ser los que desarrollan EC más eficaces. Esta tesis doctoral contribuye al área de investigación de EC presentando conexiones presumiblemente no estudiadas antes (efecto del control de la atención y las EAL e interacciones entre factores) y aportando más pruebas empíricas a otras discusiones aún abiertas (efecto del contexto de aprendizaje y de la habilidad analítica).