Foreign Language Peace of Mind, Foreign Language Enjoyment, and Perceived Language Proficiency: The Mediating Role of L2 Grit

The role of grit and positive emotions has been extensively researched in the field of education in recent years. However, the role of domain-specific grit in mediating the influence of positive emotions on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' perceived language proficiency has remained less explored. Additionally, studies on the novel concept of foreign language peace of mind (FLPoM), which was recently introduced to the field, are at blossoming stages. To fill these gaps, the present study aimed to investigate whether EFL learners' domain-specific grit can mediate the influence of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and FLPoM on their self-perceived language proficiency. The participants (N = 350) were Iranian EFL learners who completed four electronic surveys, and the hypothesized mediation model was analyzed via AMOS 22. The findings of structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated that a) learners' L2 grit mediated the associations of their FLE and FLPoM with perceived language proficiency, b) FLPoM had a significant direct influence on learners' perceived language proficiency, and c) FLE did not directly impact learners' perceived language proficiency. The findings highlighted the importance of positive emotions coupled with grit for language learning. Finally, suggestions for future research were offered.