Exploring the Dynamic Relations among Self-Efficacy, Academic Buoyancy, and L2 Grit in EFL Learners: A Cross-Lagged Study

This longitudinal study explored the dynamic relationships among self-efficacy, academic buoyancy, and L2 grit in the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) learning. A total of 250 Chinese undergraduate students from diverse academic backgrounds participated in 2 waves of data collection, spaced 6 months apart. Using cross-lagged structural equation modeling, the study revealed that: (1) self-efficacy at Time 1 statistically predicted academic buoyancy at Time 2, but academic buoyancy at Time 1 did not statistically predict self-efficacy at Time 2; (2) academic buoyancy at Time 1 statistically influenced L2 grit at Time 2, while L2 grit at Time 1 also statistically influenced academic buoyancy at Time 2; (3) L2 grit at Time 1 statistically affected self-efficacy at Time 2 and, conversely, self-efficacy at Time 1 also statistically affected L2 grit at Time 2; (4) academic buoyancy dynamically mediated the link between self-efficacy and L2 grit over time. These findings suggest that self-efficacy, academic buoyancy, and L2 grit form a mutually reinforcing cycle and function as stable personal resources that evolve through learners’ day-to-day experiences in EFL contexts. The study offers important pedagogical implications for fostering adaptable, confident, and persistent language learners through integrated psychological support in the EFL classroom.