Academic Anxiety, Self-Regulated Learning Ability, and Self-Esteem in Chinese Candidates for College Entrance Examination During the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Survey Study

Abstract

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a challenge for adolescents in China. This study aimed to explore the relationship between academic anxiety and self-esteem in Chinese candidates preparing for the college entrance examination during the COVID-19 pandemic and to examine the mechanism of mediating effect of self-regulated learning ability. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 293 college entrance examination candidates (including 170 females) from two middle schools in China using a voluntary, web-based, and anonymous questionnaire implemented via the Questionnaire Star app during COVID-19 prevalence in 2020. Results: This study found that 1) students in the high and low academic anxiety groups had different levels of self-regulated learning ability and self-esteem, 2) the academic anxiety, self-regulated learning ability, and self-esteem levels of students were significantly correlated and 3) after controlling the two independent variables of gender and subject type, academic anxiety had a significant negative predictive effect on self-esteem, and self-regulated learning ability played a mediating role between academic anxiety and self-esteem, where the mediating effect was 18.6%. Conclusion: Based on the observations of the present study, self-regulated learning capacity was a mediator between academic anxiety and self-esteem. These findings suggest an underlying process by which low academic anxiety may increase self-esteem in candidates preparing for the college entrance examination by increasing self-regulated learning ability.

Self-regulated Learning and Perfectionism as Predictors of Listening Anxiety in the Context of Foreign Language Learning: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

“…Listening comprehension may lead to high anxiety if learners cannot comprehend the discourse. Thus; it can be said that as a kind of anxiety, foreign language listening anxiety (FLLA) may arise in the classroom or other contexts that need listening for communication (Wu et al, 2022). Nushi and Orouji (2020) believe that among all types of anxiety, the importance of listening anxiety has been neglected which can cause people to lose their focus and thus make communication fail.…”

“…Apridayani et al (2023) empirically con rmed the association between students' SRL and learning anxiety and found that learners with high levels of self-regulation have low FL anxiety. In addition, researchers (e.g., Abbasi & Javanmard, 2022;Kareshki et al, 2017;Tarazi & Khademi, 2013;Wu et al, 2022) found a negative association between FL anxiety and SRL in the process of communication in the classroom.…”

“…It also provides the opportunity for verbal exchange with second language speakers in real life (Chen & Ren, 2021). Various studies con rmed that listening is in uenced by different psychological factors namely SRL, and perfectionism (e.g., Pishghadam & Akhondpoor, 2011;Wu et al, 2022). Evidence showed that in the process of interaction with others, EFL learners may experience different types of anxiety (Simsek & Capar, 2024).…”

The Mediating Effects of Self-worth and Interpersonal Communication on the Relationship between Metacognitive Ability and Self-directed Learning Ability among Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Some studies have found that students with high metacognitive ability tend to achieve higher results in learning activities. Compared with students with low metacognitive ability, the former are easy to be accepted and a rmed by themselves and their peers, and then their self-worth, self-evaluation and self-esteem level are promoted [33,34]. Self-worth is positively correlated with self-directed learning ability.…”

“…Metacognitive theory holds that metacognition is an individual's knowledge and control over the cognitive domain, and self-value, as an internal cognition, is affected by metacognitive ability [14]. Self-worth has a positive predictive effect on self-directed learning ability [15].Self-determination theory puts forward[11] that individual behavior is a choice made on the basis of full understanding of individual needs and environmental information. Individuals with a high sense of selfworth can fully understand their self-worth and choose actions in line with their self-worth, so their independent learning ability is strong [9, 16].…”