Interrelationships among L2 motivation, learning strategies, self-regulation, and L2 proficiency: A correlational study

ZabihiAtergeleh, Nima; Ahmadian, Mehrshad

doi:10.22080/iselt.2026.30444.1148

Interrelationships among L2 motivation, learning strategies, self-regulation, and L2 proficiency: A correlational study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Foreign Languages, QaS.C., Islamic Azad University, Qaemshahr, Iran.

10.22080/iselt.2026.30444.1148

Abstract

Recently, Self-Regulated Language Learning (SRLL) has attracted too much attention; however, a few studies have investigated the interrelationships between it and its components of L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS), Language Learning Strategies (LLS), and Second Language Proficiency (L2P). As such, this study explored the interrelationships between self-regulated learning (SRL), L2MSS, LLS, and L2P among 313 Iranian high school English students through employing a correlational research design and convenience sampling. Quantitative data were collected through translated L2MSS, SRLL, and LLS questionnaires and self-report L2P forms. The data analysis indicated that the strongest correlation is between the ideal L2 self and L2P (r = .503, p < .05). However, the lowest correlation was found between SRL and L2P (r = .28, p < .05). The study found that the ideal L2 self was a significantly stronger statistical predictor of L2P than SRLL (F (1, 289) = 87.635, p < .05) in this sample. These results indicate that SRLL showed a weaker association with L2P than the motivational and strategy variables examined. The study highlights the importance of integrating the ideal L2 self alongside SRLL into the teaching and learning process, given the comparatively stronger association observed for the ideal L2 self. In addition, the study discusses the educational implications and proposes suggestions for future research.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by the Faculty of Persian Literature and Foreign Languages at the University of Mazandaran. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license.

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