Zhou Shiyu, Zhang Yingxian
School of Foreign Languages, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, China.
School of Foreign Languages, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Front Psychol. 2025 Apr 11;16:1512098. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1512098. eCollection 2025.
Despite extensive research recognizing the critical role of foreign language reading self-efficacy and reading strategy use in L2 learning, longitudinal studies examining the relationships between these two variables from a dynamic developmental perspective remain scarce. This study investigated the developmental trajectories and reciprocal predictive relationships between foreign language reading self-efficacy and reading strategy use within the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) education in China. Data were collected from 293 Chinese undergraduate EFL students at five time points over the course of one academic year using a mixed-methods approach which included parallel latent growth models, cross-lagged analyses, and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative analyses indicated that the participants' foreign language reading self-efficacy firstly increased, followed by a decline, and then rose again, with significant individual variations in both initial levels and rates of change. The initial levels did not affect the rates of increase. Meanwhile, the participants' use of foreign language reading strategies showed a significant increase over time. The initial levels of reading strategy use did not influence its rates of change, with only the former exhibiting significant individual differences. Moreover, positive correlations were found between the initial levels of reading self-efficacy and reading strategy use, as well as between their growth patterns. Additionally, a bidirectional predictive relationship was identified between foreign language reading self-efficacy and reading strategy use, with the influence of reading strategy use on self-efficacy being stronger than the reverse. Qualitative results provided further insights into the participants' changes in their reading self-efficacy and the underlying factors driving these changes. The findings hold practical implications for EFL educators, highlighting the necessity of incorporating self-efficacy-enhancing instruction and reading strategy training in their reading classes.
尽管大量研究认识到外语阅读自我效能感和阅读策略运用在二语学习中的关键作用，但从动态发展视角考察这两个变量之间关系的纵向研究仍然匮乏。本研究在中国英语作为外语（EFL）教育背景下，调查了外语阅读自我效能感和阅读策略运用之间的发展轨迹及相互预测关系。采用混合研究方法，通过平行潜在增长模型、交叉滞后分析和半结构化访谈，在一学年的五个时间点收集了293名中国本科EFL学生的数据。定量分析表明，参与者的外语阅读自我效能感先上升，随后下降，然后再次上升，在初始水平和变化率上都存在显著的个体差异。初始水平并不影响上升速率。同时，参与者对外语阅读策略的运用随时间显著增加。阅读策略运用的初始水平不影响其变化速率，只有前者存在显著个体差异。此外，阅读自我效能感的初始水平与阅读策略运用之间以及它们的增长模式之间都存在正相关。此外，还发现外语阅读自我效能感和阅读策略运用之间存在双向预测关系，阅读策略运用对自我效能感的影响强于反向影响。定性结果进一步揭示了参与者阅读自我效能感的变化及其背后的驱动因素。研究结果对EFL教育工作者具有实际意义，强调了在阅读课程中纳入增强自我效能感的教学和阅读策略训练的必要性。
