Multilingualism in metacognitive and self-regulation research: scoping review advocating for comprehensive representation of multilingual complexity

Metacognition and self-regulation play crucial roles in second language acquisition, but their roles in multilingual (L3+) contexts remain underexplored. This scoping review sought to examine how metacognition and self-regulation manifest in learning third or additional languages, particularly regarding how multilingualism was accounted for in the empirical research surrounding these constructs. Three inclusion criteria were: L3+ participants, variables related to metacognition and/or self-regulation, and empirical/experimental design. Studies on test or technology validations, or nonlanguage domains were omitted. A comprehensive search across three databases yielded 52 studies, which were analyzed to assess their exploration of multilingualism's impact on metacognitive and self-regulatory processes. Findings revealed that while these cognitive strategies are crucial for navigating complex linguistic environments, studies often conflated bilinguals with multilinguals, limiting insights into how varied linguistic repertoires influence metacognition and self-regulation. Future research must better differentiate between these groups and investigate how managing multiple languages fosters unique self-regulatory action in multilingual learners.