The Interplay among EFL Students' Epistemic Beliefs, Language Learning Strategies, and L2 Motivational Self-System: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Examining learners' beliefs about the essence of knowledge, how they are conceptualized, and the ways they influence the learning process have gained attention in the second language (L2) learning. This study employed a multivariate statistical framework to model complex relationships among thr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shaghyegh Shirzad, Hamed Barjesteh, Mahmood Dehqan, Mahboubeh Zare
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, 2021-08-01
Series:Journal of Modern Research in English Language Studies
Online Access:https://jmrels.journals.ikiu.ac.ir/article_2001.html?lang=en
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849726997403533312
author Shaghyegh Shirzad
Hamed Barjesteh
Mahmood Dehqan
Mahboubeh Zare
author_facet Shaghyegh Shirzad
Hamed Barjesteh
Mahmood Dehqan
Mahboubeh Zare
author_sort Shaghyegh Shirzad
collection DOAJ
description Examining learners' beliefs about the essence of knowledge, how they are conceptualized, and the ways they influence the learning process have gained attention in the second language (L2) learning. This study employed a multivariate statistical framework to model complex relationships among three constructs, i.e., epistemic beliefs (EB), language learning strategies (LLSs), L2 motivational self-system (L2MSS), and their sub-factors (N = 12). The data were collected in two phases. At the preliminary stage, the structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to visualize a hypothesized model and to map the conceptual framework of the study. At the secondary step, three questionnaires, EB, LLSs, and L2MSS, were distributed among junior high school students (N = 300). The questionnaires were collected over four months. The collected data were screened for incomplete responses and sample attrition. Notably, 774 questionnaires met a valid response rate of 95 percent. Correlational and SEM analyses were utilized to probe the causal relationships among the constructs. The findings revealed that there was a significant positive relationship between the subscales of L2MSS and LLSs. However, there was a significant negative relationship between EB and LLSs. Besides, confirmatory factor analysis underpinned the fitness of the hypothesized model after two stepwise corrections. The findings revealed that the path coefficient for EB had a significant impact on the LLSs with the mediating role of L2MSS. In particular, the path analysis revealed that 48% of LLSs might be explained through EB and L2MSS. This paper suggests that the more EB students experience, the less likely they adopt learning strategies, and the more L2MSS they hold, the more LLS students employ.
format Article
id doaj-art-84d2a188dd7d4407812df635bc9f2dbf
institution DOAJ
issn 2676-5357
2676-5357
language English
publishDate 2021-08-01
publisher Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin,
record_format Article
series Journal of Modern Research in English Language Studies
spelling doaj-art-84d2a188dd7d4407812df635bc9f2dbf2025-08-20T03:09:59ZengImam Khomeini International University, Qazvin,Journal of Modern Research in English Language Studies2676-53572676-53572021-08-018116919510.30479/jmrels.2020.12621.1562The Interplay among EFL Students' Epistemic Beliefs, Language Learning Strategies, and L2 Motivational Self-System: A Structural Equation Modeling ApproachShaghyegh Shirzad0Hamed Barjesteh1 Mahmood Dehqan 2Mahboubeh Zare3Department of English Language and Literature, Ayatollah Amoli Branch, Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran Department of English Language and Literature, Ayatollah Amoli Branch, Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran. Department of English Language and Literature, Ayatollah Amoli Branch, Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran. Department of English Language and Literature, Ayatollah Amoli Branch, Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran Examining learners' beliefs about the essence of knowledge, how they are conceptualized, and the ways they influence the learning process have gained attention in the second language (L2) learning. This study employed a multivariate statistical framework to model complex relationships among three constructs, i.e., epistemic beliefs (EB), language learning strategies (LLSs), L2 motivational self-system (L2MSS), and their sub-factors (N = 12). The data were collected in two phases. At the preliminary stage, the structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to visualize a hypothesized model and to map the conceptual framework of the study. At the secondary step, three questionnaires, EB, LLSs, and L2MSS, were distributed among junior high school students (N = 300). The questionnaires were collected over four months. The collected data were screened for incomplete responses and sample attrition. Notably, 774 questionnaires met a valid response rate of 95 percent. Correlational and SEM analyses were utilized to probe the causal relationships among the constructs. The findings revealed that there was a significant positive relationship between the subscales of L2MSS and LLSs. However, there was a significant negative relationship between EB and LLSs. Besides, confirmatory factor analysis underpinned the fitness of the hypothesized model after two stepwise corrections. The findings revealed that the path coefficient for EB had a significant impact on the LLSs with the mediating role of L2MSS. In particular, the path analysis revealed that 48% of LLSs might be explained through EB and L2MSS. This paper suggests that the more EB students experience, the less likely they adopt learning strategies, and the more L2MSS they hold, the more LLS students employ.https://jmrels.journals.ikiu.ac.ir/article_2001.html?lang=en
spellingShingle Shaghyegh Shirzad
Hamed Barjesteh
Mahmood Dehqan
Mahboubeh Zare
The Interplay among EFL Students' Epistemic Beliefs, Language Learning Strategies, and L2 Motivational Self-System: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach
Journal of Modern Research in English Language Studies
title The Interplay among EFL Students' Epistemic Beliefs, Language Learning Strategies, and L2 Motivational Self-System: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach
title_full The Interplay among EFL Students' Epistemic Beliefs, Language Learning Strategies, and L2 Motivational Self-System: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach
title_fullStr The Interplay among EFL Students' Epistemic Beliefs, Language Learning Strategies, and L2 Motivational Self-System: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach
title_full_unstemmed The Interplay among EFL Students' Epistemic Beliefs, Language Learning Strategies, and L2 Motivational Self-System: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach
title_short The Interplay among EFL Students' Epistemic Beliefs, Language Learning Strategies, and L2 Motivational Self-System: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach
title_sort interplay among efl students epistemic beliefs language learning strategies and l2 motivational self system a structural equation modeling approach
url https://jmrels.journals.ikiu.ac.ir/article_2001.html?lang=en
work_keys_str_mv AT shaghyeghshirzad theinterplayamongeflstudentsepistemicbeliefslanguagelearningstrategiesandl2motivationalselfsystemastructuralequationmodelingapproach
AT hamedbarjesteh theinterplayamongeflstudentsepistemicbeliefslanguagelearningstrategiesandl2motivationalselfsystemastructuralequationmodelingapproach
AT mahmooddehqan theinterplayamongeflstudentsepistemicbeliefslanguagelearningstrategiesandl2motivationalselfsystemastructuralequationmodelingapproach
AT mahboubehzare theinterplayamongeflstudentsepistemicbeliefslanguagelearningstrategiesandl2motivationalselfsystemastructuralequationmodelingapproach
AT shaghyeghshirzad interplayamongeflstudentsepistemicbeliefslanguagelearningstrategiesandl2motivationalselfsystemastructuralequationmodelingapproach
AT hamedbarjesteh interplayamongeflstudentsepistemicbeliefslanguagelearningstrategiesandl2motivationalselfsystemastructuralequationmodelingapproach
AT mahmooddehqan interplayamongeflstudentsepistemicbeliefslanguagelearningstrategiesandl2motivationalselfsystemastructuralequationmodelingapproach
AT mahboubehzare interplayamongeflstudentsepistemicbeliefslanguagelearningstrategiesandl2motivationalselfsystemastructuralequationmodelingapproach