A holistic perspective on the contribution of foreign language peace of mind, enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom to EFL learners’ willingness to communicate: The mediating role of engagement

Learners’ foreign language engagement (FLEng) plays a crucial role in language acquisition, yet its mediating influence between learner emotions and willingness to communicate (WTC) in a second language (L2) remains underexplored. This study investigates how emotional contexts—including positive emotions such as foreign language peace of mind (FLPoM) and foreign language enjoyment (FLE), as well as negative emotions such as foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) and foreign language boredom (FLB)—affect English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ L2 WTC. Utilizing the 3D pyramid model of L2 WTC, we analyzed data from 301 participants who completed six questionnaires. The findings revealed that FLPoM, FLE, FLCA, and FLB did not directly influence L2 WTC. However, learners’ FLEng was found to fully mediate the relationships between both positive and negative emotions and L2 WTC. These results underscore the vital importance of fostering learners’ FLEng in language education, suggesting that enhancing emotional experiences can significantly impact learners’ willingness to communicate in a foreign language.