A meta-analysis of the impact of boredom on language achievement

Abstract

Boredom, though a significant emotion in second language acquisition, has received less attention compared with anxiety and enjoyment. Existing research on the effects of boredom presents mixed findings. To date, no study has systematically synthesized evidence regarding its impact on language achievement and its potential moderating factors. This study addresses this gap by conducting a meta-analysis to examine the influence of boredom on language achievement. A comprehensive analysis of 23 studies involving 9,154 participants was performed. The results from the random effects model revealed a small to medium negative effect size ( r = −0.34), indicating that boredom has a detrimental impact on language achievement. Furthermore, moderator analyses identified significant variations in effect sizes across different research contexts, educational levels, and types of achievement. Notably, the relationship between boredom and language achievement was consistent across genders. These findings suggest that educators can enhance students’ language achievement by actively addressing boredom, particularly in the contexts of second language acquisition, secondary education, and reading. The results have broader implications for improving learners’ well-being and optimizing the efficiency of language instruction, underscoring the importance of emotional factors in educational settings.