Independent, Combined, and Interactive Effects of Foreign Language Writing Boredom and Enjoyment on Writing Strategy Use

Nanxuan Li and Xia Hong

Education Insights, 2026, vol. 3, issue 1, 29-45

Abstract: This study investigated the independent, combined, and interactive effects of foreign language writing boredom (FLWB) and foreign language writing enjoyment (FLWE) on English writing strategy (EWS) use among 259 Chinese undergraduate EFL students, providing novel perspectives on the emotion-writing strategy relationships. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine how FLWB and FLWE predicted four types of EWS use: metacognition, revision, L1 use, and L2 use strategies. Independent predictive analyses showed that FLWB negatively predicted metacognition, revision, and L2 use strategies, whereas FLWE positively predicted all four strategy types. In the combined model, FLWE emerged as the dominant predictor across all four strategy categories, and the effects of FLWB were no longer significant. The interaction analysis further revealed that higher levels of FLWE amplified the negative impact of FLWB on metacognitive strategy use in the moderation model. These findings highlighted the importance of cultivating positive emotional experiences and mitigating boredom in L2 writing contexts. They also underscored the need to support learners' emotional regulation skills to facilitate strategic behaviors. Theoretically, the findings provide empirical evidence for assumptions of control-value theory about effects of achievement emotions on strategy use and the unique effects of positive emotions proposed by broaden-and-build theory in Chinese L2 writing environment. Also, this study revealed boundary conditions for broaden-and-build theory about undo hypothesis in the context of Chinese undergraduate EFL writing.

Keywords: foreign language writing boredom; foreign language writing enjoyment; English writing strategy; Chinese undergraduate students; control-value theory; broaden-and-build theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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