The study investigates the effects of psychological factors such as emotion regulation (ER) strategies, foreign-language enjoyment (FLE), and perceived academic stress (PAS) on the proficiency of Saudi undergraduate students studying English as a foreign language (EFL). A quantitative research design was employed, collecting data from 215 students using various standardized questionnaires. The study used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to assess both direct and indirect effects of the psychological constructs on EFL proficiency.
The findings show that FLE and PAS are significant predictors of EFL proficiency, with FLE having a positive impact and PAS surprisingly also showing a positive relationship with proficiency. ER strategies, particularly cognitive reappraisal, did not directly influence proficiency but did so indirectly by positively influencing both FLE and PAS. In contrast, expressive suppression had no direct effect on proficiency but negatively affected PAS without reducing FLE. The complex dynamics among these psychological factors suggest that positive and negative emotions can interplay in ways that facilitate or hinder language learning.
FLE is a relatively recent construct that refers to positive emotional experiences in language learning, particularly when learners’ psychological needs are met. Research shows that FLE can significantly enhance student performance, motivation, and engagement in language learning, contributing to their overall proficiency. Positive emotions help broaden learners' psychological resources, enabling them to overcome challenges and reduce the adverse effects of negative emotions. However, the study also highlights the importance of considering negative emotions such as academic stress, which may coexist with positive emotions like enjoyment.
ER refers to how individuals manage and modify their emotional responses to situations. Cognitive reappraisal, a common ER strategy, involves reframing a situation to reduce its emotional impact, while expressive suppression involves hiding or minimizing the external display of emotions. Although cognitive reappraisal generally leads to positive emotional outcomes and is linked to higher FLE, it also unexpectedly correlates with higher levels of PAS in this study. This suggests that EFL learners who strive for high proficiency may experience stress, regardless of their use of adaptive ER strategies.
PAS refers to the pressures and challenges students face in academic settings, including workload, exams, and academic expectations. High levels of academic stress are generally associated with negative outcomes such as burnout and lower academic performance. However, the study finds that moderate stress levels may motivate students to work harder, thus contributing to improved language proficiency. This finding challenges traditional views that stress is exclusively detrimental to academic success.
The hypothesized structural model reveals that both FLE and PAS positively influence EFL proficiency, while ER strategies mainly operate indirectly through these variables. Cognitive reappraisal is strongly associated with FLE and moderately with PAS, indicating that students who use this strategy may experience both enjoyment and stress in their learning environment. Expressive suppression, on the other hand, negatively affects PAS but has no significant impact on FLE or proficiency. These results suggest that while positive emotions like enjoyment enhance language learning, certain levels of stress may also serve as motivators for proficiency.
The study’s results offer valuable insights into how psychological factors interact to influence language learning outcomes. The findings highlight the importance of fostering positive emotions in the language classroom, as well as helping students develop effective ER strategies to manage both positive and negative emotions. Although stress is often viewed as a barrier to academic success, the study demonstrates that it can also play a beneficial role under certain conditions. Therefore, educators should consider ways to balance enjoyment and stress in their teaching practices to optimize student performance.
The research is limited by its exclusive focus on female Saudi students, which restricts the generalizability of the findings to other populations. Future research should include male students and explore additional psychological variables such as personality traits, which may further clarify the relationship between emotions and language learning. Additionally, qualitative or mixed-methods research designs could offer deeper insights into the complex emotional experiences of language learners, complementing the quantitative findings of this study.
In conclusion, the study underscores the significance of emotional factors in foreign language learning, particularly the roles of enjoyment and stress. While positive emotions like FLE contribute directly to proficiency, academic stress can also enhance performance when experienced at moderate levels. Emotion regulation strategies, especially cognitive reappraisal, indirectly support language learning by promoting enjoyment and managing stress. These findings have important implications for language educators, who should aim to create learning environments that foster both positive psychology of EFL learners and academic challenge.