The impact of self-efficacy on psychological resilience in EFL learners: a serial mediation model
Abstract Background EFL learners often experience anxiety and emotional stress, which can hinder their academic persistence and well-being. Although previous studies have examined self-efficacy, language anxiety, and emotion regulation separately, their combined effect on psychological resilience re...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | BMC Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03236-4 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849738364259926016 |
|---|---|
| author | Jie Xu Ying Xu |
| author_facet | Jie Xu Ying Xu |
| author_sort | Jie Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background EFL learners often experience anxiety and emotional stress, which can hinder their academic persistence and well-being. Although previous studies have examined self-efficacy, language anxiety, and emotion regulation separately, their combined effect on psychological resilience remains underexplored. Guided by self-efficacy theory, which emphasizes the importance of individuals’ belief in their ability to cope with challenges, and emotion regulation theory, which focuses on how emotional management facilitates psychological adaptation, this study proposes a serial mediation model in which self-efficacy enhances resilience by reducing language anxiety and improving emotion regulation. Method This study used the self-efficacy scale, language anxiety scale, emotion regulation scale, and psychological resilience scale to collect 540 valid responses. Data were analyzed and processed with SPSS 26.0 software to examine the direct effect of self-efficacy on EFL learners’ psychological resilience, along with the mediating functions of language anxiety and emotion regulation. Results Self-efficacy was significantly associated with psychological resilience (β = 0.096, p < 0.001). Language anxiety mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and resilience (β = 0.122, 95% CI: [0.070, 0.185]). Emotion regulation also mediated this relationship (β = 0.067, 95% CI: [0.033, 0.106]). Both language anxiety and emotion regulation together had a serial mediating effect (β = 0.065, 95% CI: [0.038, 0.099]). Conclusion This study found that self-efficacy was positively associated with psychological resilience among EFL learners, with language anxiety and emotion regulation acting as sequential mediators. The findings offer theoretical support for understanding their psychological adaptation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-844e2f9fb63e43da809bbe2f3cccafbb |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2050-7283 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-844e2f9fb63e43da809bbe2f3cccafbb2025-08-20T03:06:36ZengBMCBMC Psychology2050-72832025-08-0113111310.1186/s40359-025-03236-4The impact of self-efficacy on psychological resilience in EFL learners: a serial mediation modelJie Xu0Ying Xu1Department of College English Teaching and Researching, Qiqihar UniversitySchool of Humanity, Harbin Medical UniversityAbstract Background EFL learners often experience anxiety and emotional stress, which can hinder their academic persistence and well-being. Although previous studies have examined self-efficacy, language anxiety, and emotion regulation separately, their combined effect on psychological resilience remains underexplored. Guided by self-efficacy theory, which emphasizes the importance of individuals’ belief in their ability to cope with challenges, and emotion regulation theory, which focuses on how emotional management facilitates psychological adaptation, this study proposes a serial mediation model in which self-efficacy enhances resilience by reducing language anxiety and improving emotion regulation. Method This study used the self-efficacy scale, language anxiety scale, emotion regulation scale, and psychological resilience scale to collect 540 valid responses. Data were analyzed and processed with SPSS 26.0 software to examine the direct effect of self-efficacy on EFL learners’ psychological resilience, along with the mediating functions of language anxiety and emotion regulation. Results Self-efficacy was significantly associated with psychological resilience (β = 0.096, p < 0.001). Language anxiety mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and resilience (β = 0.122, 95% CI: [0.070, 0.185]). Emotion regulation also mediated this relationship (β = 0.067, 95% CI: [0.033, 0.106]). Both language anxiety and emotion regulation together had a serial mediating effect (β = 0.065, 95% CI: [0.038, 0.099]). Conclusion This study found that self-efficacy was positively associated with psychological resilience among EFL learners, with language anxiety and emotion regulation acting as sequential mediators. The findings offer theoretical support for understanding their psychological adaptation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03236-4EFL learnersSelf-efficacyLanguage anxietyEmotion regulationPsychological resilience |
| spellingShingle | Jie Xu Ying Xu The impact of self-efficacy on psychological resilience in EFL learners: a serial mediation model BMC Psychology EFL learners Self-efficacy Language anxiety Emotion regulation Psychological resilience |
| title | The impact of self-efficacy on psychological resilience in EFL learners: a serial mediation model |
| title_full | The impact of self-efficacy on psychological resilience in EFL learners: a serial mediation model |
| title_fullStr | The impact of self-efficacy on psychological resilience in EFL learners: a serial mediation model |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of self-efficacy on psychological resilience in EFL learners: a serial mediation model |
| title_short | The impact of self-efficacy on psychological resilience in EFL learners: a serial mediation model |
| title_sort | impact of self efficacy on psychological resilience in efl learners a serial mediation model |
| topic | EFL learners Self-efficacy Language anxiety Emotion regulation Psychological resilience |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03236-4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jiexu theimpactofselfefficacyonpsychologicalresilienceinefllearnersaserialmediationmodel AT yingxu theimpactofselfefficacyonpsychologicalresilienceinefllearnersaserialmediationmodel AT jiexu impactofselfefficacyonpsychologicalresilienceinefllearnersaserialmediationmodel AT yingxu impactofselfefficacyonpsychologicalresilienceinefllearnersaserialmediationmodel |