The mechanism for the positive effect of foreign language peace of mind in the Chinese EFL context: a moderated mediation model based on learners’ individual resources

Abstract Foreign language peace of mind (FLPOM) is conceptualized as a Chinese culture-specific low-arousal positive emotional state of inner peace and harmony. It is used to describe learners’ psychological well-being in the Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) context. This study examines the intermediate mechanism for the positive effect of FLPOM on language achievement by testing learners’ cognitive engagement as a mediator on the relationship between FLPOM and language achievement and competitive psychological climate as a moderator of the mediation effect. Foreign language enjoyment (FLE), a comparatively high-arousal positive emotion, is also tested in the same model for comparison purposes. Results showed that cognitive engagement mediated the relationship between both FLPOM and FLE and language achievement and that competitive psychological climate negatively moderated (i.e., weakened) the mediation effect of cognitive engagement on FLE and achievement, but did not moderate the mediation effect of cognitive engagement on FLPOM and achievement. The findings point to the role of FLPOM in gaining learners’ individual resources (e.g., cognitive engagement) and, more importantly, the distinctive role of the low-arousal emotion of FLPOM in lowering resource loss and maintaining learner engagement in high resource loss (e.g., high competitiveness, high stress) circumstances.