Fixed mindset, achievement goals, reconceptualized L2 motivational self system, academic buoyancy, resilience and success of English preparatory program students at Turkish EMI Universities: a structural equation modeling study

Abstract

Motivation has not yet been fully explored as an integrative construct comprising complementary aspects from various motivational theories that, together, can more effectively predict student success in learning English as a foreign language (EFL). This gap in the literature limits our understanding of what drives English learners to be resilient, buoyant, and ultimately succeed. In this correlational study, I used Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine the relationship between a fixed mindset and academic success, mediated either by achievement goals (Model 1) or L2 motivational selves (Model 2), along with academic resilience and buoyancy, in English Preparatory Programs (EPPs). Data were collected from 343 students enrolled in EPPs at four English-Medium Instruction (EMI) universities in Türkiye. The findings revealed fixed mindset was positively related to mastery avoidance and performance avoidance goals similar to ought-to L2 self and feared L2 self. On the other hand, the relation among fixed mindset, ideal L2 self, and academic resilience was negative. Moreover, academic success has a positive relation with academic buoyancy, but negative relation with feared L2 self. Additionally, while students' ideal L2 selves were similar to their approach goals, their feared L2 selves were similar to avoidance goals in terms of relations to resilience and buoyancy. The implications are provided in light of the newly developed models.