Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41765917›Full record

ArticleBMC psychology2026

Positive psychology approaches to alleviating foreign language classroom anxiety among university students: insights from self-efficacy, flow, and self-compassion.

Fan Jia, Yiyan Li, Zhuofan Yang, Shujun Wang, Yanhui Mao

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Article in BMC psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Fan JiaSchool of Foreign Languages, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China.
Yiyan LiInstitute of Applied Psychology, Psychological Research and Counseling Center, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China.
Zhuofan YangInstitute of Applied Psychology, Psychological Research and Counseling Center, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China.
Shujun WangInstitute of Applied Psychology, Psychological Research and Counseling Center, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China.
Yanhui MaoInstitute of Applied Psychology, Psychological Research and Counseling Center, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China. yanhui.mao@swjtu.edu.cn.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China NSFC Grant Nos: 72271205Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province Grant Nos: 24NSFSC1389
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRecent research in second language acquisition (SLA) has increasingly applied positive psychology to improve learning outcomes and reduce foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA). However, the field still lacks an integrative framework that captures how cognitive appraisals and affective resources jointly shape the emotional processes that lead to reduced FLCA. Guided by Control-Value Theory and Broaden-and-Build Theory, this study examines the roles of self-efficacy, flow experience, and self-compassion in shaping FLCA among English as a foreign language (EFL) learners.

methodsA total of 1,352 EFL learners from multiple universities in China completed a cross-sectional survey. Structural equation modeling was used to test the mediating role of flow experience in the relationship between self-efficacy and FLCA, as well as the moderating role of self-compassion in the link between self-efficacy and flow experience.

resultsSelf-efficacy showed a significant adverse effect on FLCA, and flow experience mediated this association. Furthermore, self-compassion moderated the relationship between self-efficacy and flow experience, with the association being weaker among learners with lower self-compassion.

conclusionsThese findings suggest that fostering self-efficacy, promoting flow, and nurturing self-compassion may help reduce classroom anxiety and enhance learning outcomes, thereby contributing to more supportive language-learning environments.

Indexed as

AnxietyEmpathyMultilingualismSelf EfficacyStudentsAdultChinaCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansLearningMaleUniversitiesYoung AdultBroaden-and-build theoryControl-value theoryFlowForeign language classroom anxiety (FLCA)Self-compassionSelf-efficacy

Identifiers

PMID41765917
PMCPMC13059431

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.