How burnout, resilience, and engagement interplay among EFL learners? A mixed-methods investigation in the Chinese senior high school context

Abstract

English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learning is essential for Chinese senior high school students, but burnout can impair their engagement and performance. Resilience, however, can enhance their engagement and shield them from burnout. This mixed-methods study aimed to investigate the interplay between burnout, resilience, and engagement among 413 Chinese senior high school EFL learners. Using AMOS 24, quantitative analyses with structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed the reciprocity between these three constructs. Specifically, burnout was negatively associated with both resilience and engagement, explaining 28.6% and 33.3% of their shared variance respectively. Besides, resilience and engagement were positively correlated, sharing 70.6% of their variance. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with 15 students, analyzed by MAXQDA 2022, supported this reciprocity by specifying the role of each component of these constructs. This study also discusses the theoretical and practical implications of findings and suggests directions for future research.