Exploring the Relationship Between Students’ Language Learning Curiosity and Academic Achievement: The Mediating Role of Foreign Language Anxiety

Curiosity and anxiety are critical emotional factors influencing language learning; yet, existing studies often overlook their combined effects and the mechanisms through which they shape academic achievements. This study aimed to explore the relationships among language learning curiosity, foreign language anxiety, and academic achievement among junior high school students. A total of 870 students from southeastern China, including 7 selected for semi-structured interviews, participated in the study. Quantitative data were analyzed through SPSS and AMOS with structural equation modeling, while qualitative data were examined using thematic analysis in NVivo to identify profile-based patterns. The findings revealed that students showed relatively high curiosity and moderate anxiety in English language learning. Consistent with our hypotheses, curiosity positively predicted academic achievement, while anxiety had a negative effect. Foreign language anxiety partially mediated the relationship between curiosity and academic performance. Qualitative data supported these findings, showing that curiosity fostered engagement and reduced anxiety in real learning contexts. These findings support the control-value theory of academic emotions and offer theoretical and practical implications for emotional regulation in language education.