Work

Examining the nonlinear relationships among self-efficacy, metacognitive strategies, and English achievement: a perspective of the Island Ridge Curve

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Self-efficacy and metacognitive strategies play important roles in determining English achievement. However, how they interact with each other remains understudied. Moreover, an emerging theory called the Island Ridge Curve (IRC) contends that the effects of cognitive and motivational factors on language performance fluctuate with the increase in language proficiency. The current study explored the interplay between self-efficacy and metacognitive strategies in determining English achievement and the variations of these relationships across low-, medium-, and high-proficiency students. We recruited 1,184 undergraduates (females = 48%, Mage = 18.95, SD = 0.76) from two Chinese universities. Results of multi-group structural equation modelling showed that: (1) both self-efficacy and metacognitive strategy use were positively associated with English achievement, and these associations fluctuated in the nonsignificant-significant-nonsignificant pattern; (2) metacognitive strategy use positively mediated between self-efficacy and English achievement, and the mediation fluctuated in the nonsignificant-significant-nonsignificant pattern. These results demonstrate the utility of the IRC in examining nonlinearity in language research.

Source: Language Awareness

DOI: 10.1080/09658416.2026.2716213

Authors: Yuyang Cai, Dongdong Li, Qianwen Ge, Yan Yang

Institutions: Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, University of Otago

Language: English

Topic: EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning

Subfield: Language and Linguistics

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: National Social Science Fund of China