Examining the association between boredom and English achievement in the contexts of self-efficacy and English proficiency levels: A perspective combining the control-value theory and the Island Ridge Curve

Boredom is believed to have a detrimental effect on second/foreign language learning (L2) achievement. Studies on boredom are usually framed under the control-value theory, believing that appraisals of control (e.g., self-efficacy and L2 proficiency) and value (i.e., importance) can diminish boredom and its effect on L2 achievement. However, the associations are mostly assumed to be linear. The Island Ridge Curve (IRC) theory posits nonlinearity between individual attributes and L2 achievement. Combining the control-value theory and the IRC, the current study examined this nonlinearity in the relationship among self-efficacy, boredom, L2 achievement, and L2 proficiency. A total of 400 10th graders from a Chinese high school participated in the study. Data analysis involved three steps: (1) conducting latent profile analysis to identify the latent English proficiency groups; (2) conducting analysis of variance to compare the difference in the level of boredom across different proficiency groups; and (3) conducting multigroup structural equation modeling to explore the variation of the associations among boredom, self-efficacy, and L2 (English) achievement across different proficiency groups. Our results showed that (1) boredom appeared to be higher (though the difference is non-significant) with students in low and high L2 proficiency groups, (2) the association between boredom and English achievement was negative and fluctuated in the negative-null-negative pattern across different proficiency groups, and (3) the association between self-efficacy and boredom was negative and fluctuated in the negative (non-significant)-larger negative-smaller negative pattern. Our results show the value of combining the control-value theory and the IRC to study boredom.