Academic buoyancy and achievement among EFL learners: The mediating roles of hope and enjoyment

In an increasingly competitive academic landscape, understanding the emotional and psychological factors that drive student success is essential. This study investigated the intricate relationships among academic buoyancy, enjoyment, hope, and academic achievement among undergraduate learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in China. The study also focused on the mediating roles of enjoyment and hope in the connection between buoyancy and achievement. A mixed-methods design was employed, involving 314 learners who completed self-report questionnaires, followed by semi-structured interviews with 15 participants to deepen and contextualize the quantitative results. Structural equation modeling indicated that buoyancy positively predicted enjoyment, hope, and achievement. Furthermore, the results showed that enjoyment and hope acted as mediating factors in the buoyancy–achievement pathway. The qualitative findings enriched these results, showing that buoyancy supported emotional regulation, fostered persistence, and was reinforced through social support. Hope not only motivated students to set higher goals and persevere but also increased their enjoyment of language learning, making the learning process more engaging and rewarding. Participants additionally described a feedback loop in which academic success boosted positive emotions, sustaining motivation over time. Implications were discussed and suggestions for future research were proposed. • Buoyancy positively predicts enjoyment, hope, and achievement in EFL learners. • Enjoyment and hope mediate the relationship between buoyancy and academic achievement. • A mixed-methods design involving 314 EFL learners yields robust and validated findings. • Interviews reveal that buoyancy enhances emotions and contributes to overall achievement.