Emotion Regulation in Language Learning: Strategies for Managing Foreign Language Anxiety among Iranian EFL Learners

This study employed a mixed-methods approach to examine the utilization of two emotion regulation strategies, namely cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression, among a group of Iranian learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) at universities in Isfahan, Iran. The investigation was based on the Process Model of Emotion Regulation, a psychologically-validated theoretical model proposed by Gross (۲۰۱۵). The study also investigated the correlation between emotion regulation and levels of foreign language anxiety (FLA), and as an additional area of investigation, the impact of emotion regulation on the association between FLA and motivation for learning a second language. A total of ۲۹۵ learners were questioned using a quantitative questionnaire. The qualitative research involved the selection of thirteen respondents from three levels (high, medium, low) of FLA. The primary component employed in this study was a stimulated recall interview. Data collection was undertaken online due to scheduling constraints. The findings indicated a low frequency of utilization for the two emotion regulation strategies, with cognitive reappraisal being more commonly employed compared to expressive suppression. Learners with low English proficiency exhibited a lower prevalence and preference for cognitive reappraisal. There was a stronger positive correlation observed between expressive suppression and FLA. The study found a negative correlation between cognitive reappraisal and FLA. It provides evidence that understanding the inner workings of learners’ emotion regulation may inform pedagogical practices.

کلیدواژه ها:

EFL learners ، Emotion ، Emotion regulation model ، foreign language anxiety ، Mix methods study