A latent profile analysis of self-regulated reading-to-write and writing strategies, and their relations to motivation and achievement

The interconnectedness of reading and writing necessitates a dynamic approach to learning, particularly for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Self-regulated reading-to-write (SR-R2W) emerges as a promising approach, empowering EFL learners to consciously integrate reading and writing to address writing weaknesses and enhance writing proficiency. However, individual differences in EFL learners’ self-regulated R2W and writing strategy use remain largely unexplored. This study proposed a revised self-regulated writing (RSRW) framework by integrating SR-R2W into the existing self-regulated writing framework. Building on this framework, the study identified distinct SR-R2W and RSRW profiles and examined their associations with English reading, writing, and general performance, as well as motivational beliefs. Participants were 480 seventh-grade EFL learners in China (aged 11–15, M = 13.62, SD = 0.76). Latent profile analyses of students’ SR-R2W and RSRW strategy use revealed three distinct profiles: low, medium, and high profiles. Subsequent ANOVA and MANOVA results indicated that there were significant differences among these profiles in English reading, writing, and general performance, as well as motivational variables. The high-profile group consistently outperformed the medium and low groups across all measures, indicating that learner profiling was associated with their English reading, writing and overall performance, along with motivational beliefs. These findings can enhance the understanding of Chinese EFL students’ SRL strategy use patterns and provide valuable insights for strategy-based writing instruction.