Boredom Coping Research Articles

Exploring the interplay between EFL learners’ L2 writing boredom, writing motivation, and boredom coping strategies

This study set out to scrutinize the interplay between 338 (218 male and 120 female) English as a second or foreign language learners’ second language writing boredom (L2WB) and boredom coping strategies, along with the mediating role of second language writing motivation (L2WM). Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis indicated that L2WB is negatively associated with L2WM in writing classes. Results also revealed a negative relationship between L2WB and cognitive as well as behavioral approaches to coping with boredom in second language (L2) writing practices. In addition, L2WM was positively predictive of cognitive approach strategy while being negatively predictive of cognitive avoidance strategy in coping with boredom. Results also showed significant indirect effects of L2WB on both cognitive-oriented strategies (i.e. cognitive approach strategy and cognitive avoidance strategy) via L2WM. The implications for L2 teachers, teacher educators, and materials developers are discussed.

EFL learners’ boredom coping strategies: the role of teacher-student rapport and support

BackgroundA significant issue in the language education context is examining the coping strategies that learners apply to combat boredom in the class environment. As a significant contextual element affecting different dimensions of learners’ acquisition, teacher support in general education has been extensively studied but widely neglected in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) setting. Also, having a relationship with a teacher can help a learner cope better with school challenges as the teacher can act as a reference for the learner.MethodsTo this end, 268 EFL learners participated to fill out the three scales namely, Teacher Support, Teacher-Student Rapport (T-SR), and learners’ Boredom Coping Strategies (BCS).ResultsUsing multiple regressions, the results revealed that there are constructive links between these concepts as they affect learners’ BCS, and both T-SR and teacher support were predictors of learners’ BCS while the better predictor was teacher support.ConclusionsAs a result, it can be assumed that these two elements can enhance the students’ BCS in language acquisition which ends in declining boredom. Additionally, this research may have further implications for the team members of language teaching in academic environments.

Managing Workplace Boredom: Employee Coping Strategies, Supervisor Communication, and Job Satisfaction

This survey study ( n = 297, 47% Caucasian, 52% female) examines U.S. employees’ experience of workplace boredom, their strategies for boredom coping, and their perceptions of managerial support of employee boredom mitigation. In regression analyses, employee job and supervisor satisfaction are predicted by perceived managerial effectiveness in reducing boring aspects of work, as well as perceived managerial support of employee coping mechanisms. Analysis of qualitative data provides a typology of worker coping mechanisms; a typology of managerial communicative responses to worker feedback surrounding the tasks performed; and a grounded theoretical framework for managerial communication with employees performing repetitive work routines.

Associations between EFL students’ L2 grit, boredom coping strategies, and emotion regulation strategies: a structural equation modeling approach

ABSTRACT This study intended to explore the relations between 259 Turkish EFL students’ L2 grit (i.e. the persistence of effort and consistency of interest) and boredom coping strategies (i.e. cognitive approach, behavioural approach, cognitive avoidance, and behavioural avoidance) as well as the moderating role of their emotion regulation strategies, viz., reappraisal and suppression. The results of the structural equation modelling (SEM) indicated strong correlations between L2 grit and boredom coping strategies as well as emotional regulation and boredom coping strategies. Moreover, the correlation between L2 grit and emotional regulation was found moderately strong. Although L2 grit was entirely a strong predictor of boredom coping strategies, it was indicated to be a stronger predictor of cognitive approach to cope with boredom. Additionally, the results showed that L2 grit was a significant predictor of boredom coping strategies, whereas emotion regulation did not significantly moderate this prediction. Pedagogical implications are discussed regarding the significance of grit in L2 contexts.

University students' level of boredom and their coping strategies in emergency remote education during the coronavirus pandemic

The purpose of this study was twofold: firstly, we investigated whether there is a difference between male and female university students' level of boredom and their boredom coping strategies (i.e., cognitive approach, behavioural approach, cognitive avoidance, and behavioural avoidance) in emergency online lessons during the COVID-19 pandemic, and secondly an attempt was made to examine whether the participants' academic level (i.e., freshman, sophomore, junior and senior) affects their boredom experiences and boredom coping strategies. A total of 201 undergraduate students from a Turkish state university participated in the study. Results indicated that the male university students experience higher levels of boredom than their counterparts. In addition, the female participants exhibited stronger inclination towards using both cognitive approach and cognitive avoidance than the males to strategically cope with boredom. Besides, the participants with different academic levels did not score differently in their level of boredom and they indicated a significant difference only in their behavioural avoidance in coping with boredom. Indeed, as the academic level of the participants increases, they exhibit a greater tendency to use behavioural avoidance to relieve boredom.

Dealing with daily boredom at work: does self-control explain who engages in distractive behaviour or job crafting as a coping mechanism?

ABSTRACT This study aimed to advance insight into how employees cope with work-related boredom by developing and testing a control-process model of coping with boredom. We examined (1) the role of trait self-control in explaining whether employees cope with daily work-related boredom by engaging in distractive behaviour or job crafting, and (2) how these two coping behaviours link to changes in work-related boredom and subsequent depressed mood and job satisfaction. Data were collected among 94 participants with a general questionnaire and a 5-day diary study (with measures during the lunchbreak, n = 341, and at the end of the workday, n = 314). Multilevel path-analysis showed that trait self-control moderated the relationships of daily work-related boredom with coping, such that employees high on self-control engaged less in distractive behaviour and more in job crafting than those low on self-control. Distractive behaviour related to increased levels of subsequent work-related boredom, and – through these elevated levels – to higher depressed mood and lower job satisfaction. Job crafting was not significantly related to subsequent work-related boredom and its outcomes. Our study illustrates the importance of self-control in the boredom coping process, and underscores the ineffectiveness of distractive behaviour as a coping strategy.

Difficulties with Emotion Regulation during COVID-19 and Associations with Boredom in College Students.

COVID-19 related restrictions resulted in a significant lifestyle change for many young adults in the United States. Although boredom and emotional self-regulation are clearly connected in empirical research, the question remains of what this association looks like in unique circumstances, such as early in COVID-19 pandemic at the height of restrictions. The purpose of the current study is to identify the association between boredom proneness and emotion regulation in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. College students who completed a Boredom Coping Survey between October and December 2019 (n = 481) were recruited for a follow-up COVID-19 Boredom Survey in April 2020. Data from this sub-sample (n = 58) were used in a hierarchical regression predicting the role of boredom proneness on COVID-19 pandemic emotion regulation difficulties while controlling for age, sex, and COVID-19 related lifestyle changes. Findings indicated higher levels of emotion regulation difficulties were associated with higher levels of boredom proneness above and beyond demographic variables and COVID-19 lifestyle changes. Results are in line with prior theory and research on the importance of the environment or situational factors to the experience of boredom.

Painfully bored: the role of negative urgency and history of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Self-Administering painful stimuli

The current study aims to examine the causal effect of boredom on non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), expanding prior experimental research by including an anger induction to compare to a boredom induction, and additionally measuring whether participants specifically seek painful stimulation. In a sample of mostly undergraduate students (N = 146), emotional state was manipulated through video induction, and NSSI behavior was simultaneously measured, operationalized through self-administration of electric shocks. Participants’ pain thresholds were measured beforehand. NSSI history and negative urgency were included as potential moderators. Results showed that boredom increased both frequency and intensity of self-administered electric shocks, especially in participants with an NSSI history. Negative urgency was not a significant moderator. No causal anger-NSSI link was found, possibly due to the anger induction not being sufficiently effective. Clinical implications are considered through suggestions of boredom coping skills training as an intervention strategy in NSSI populations.

Boredom coping profiles among international students in canada and canadian students: similarities and differences

Boredom coping profiles among international students in canada and canadian students: similarities and differences

Boredom coping in the context of secondary education

The article concerns the problematics of the boredom experience and especially boredom coping in Czech secondary school students (n = 460). The relationships between, on the one hand, reported boredom frequency, various aspects of state boredom experienced at school, trait boredom, grade point average and learning motivational characteristics and, on the other hand, different types of boredom coping strategies have been examined. Data were obtained using the Boredom Proneness Scale, Multidimensional State Boredom Scale, Coping with Boredom Scale, Learning Motivation Inventory and closed questions. Descriptive and inductive statistics were used to process the data. More and less risky boredom coping strategies were identified with regard to the boredom experience at school and grade point average. A key factor facilitating adaptive boredom coping appears to be the capability to find personal value in potentially boring tasks and to exert cognitive effort together with high levels of positive achievement motivation and conscientiousness with regard to schoolwork. Additionally, at least a certain level of cognitive motivation, which seems to be a key supportive factor, is needed. A risk factor with regard to rather maladaptive boredom coping appears to be the tendency to systematically employ avoidance or even escaping behavior. The results indicate that school boredom coping issues are very complicated and have numerous implications for further research.

Effects of Positive and Negative Emotions of Medical Students With Different Active Personality on Boredom Coping

Proactive personality; Positive negative emotion; Boring coping

Listening Boredom, Listening Boredom Coping Strategies, and Listening Performance: Exploring the Possible Relationships in Saudi EFL Context

Researchers paid ample attention to an important variable called boredom in numerous contexts; however, limited research exists regarding the association of boredom with listening comprehension performance in EFL settings. Thus, the current study aims to establish the association between listening boredom and listening comprehension performance by deploying listening boredom coping strategies as a mediating construct. A quantitative research approach, and a cross-sectional and correlational research design was used to conduct this study. A listening comprehension test and questionnaires were used to gather the data from 313 Saudi EFL learners. Results directed that there exists a negative yet significant association between listening boredom and listening comprehension performance. In addition, listening boredom showed a positive and significant association with all of the four listening boredom coping strategies. Furthermore, three out of four listening boredom coping strategies (i.e., behavioral, cognitive, and behavioral avoidance) showed a positive and significant association with listening performance; however, cognitive avoidance strategies showed a significant yet negative association with listening comprehension performance. Lastly, results regarding mediation indicated that listening boredom coping strategies mediated the relationship between listening boredom and listening comprehension performance. Based on the results, various recommendations were presented to EFL learners, instructors, and policymakers.

University Students' Multidimensional State Boredom and Strategies to Cope with Classroom Boredom

This study sought to examine how university students' state boredom dimensions (i.e., disengagement, high arousal, low arousal, inattention, and time perception) and their boredom coping strategies (i.e., cognitive approach, behavioral approach, cognitive avoidance, and behavioral avoidance) in the classroom are mediated in relation to gender and academic year. A total of 186 undergraduate students from a Turkish university, majoring in English language teaching in the faculty of education voluntarily participated in the study. The results indicated that the male participants experienced higher levels of boredom than the females in all levels of the state boredom. Additionally, the females had more inclination to use cognitive approach, while the male participants exhibited more behavioral approach to cope with boredom. Secondly, the participants with different academic levels only scored differently in disengagement, a state boredom dimension, and in cognitive approach, a boredom coping strategy. The findings highlight the significance of identifying student boredom and thereby specifying strategies to relieve their boredom in the classroom. Indeed, by gaining a proper understanding of the reactions triggered by boredom in classes, we would be able to spot the developmental paths of these reactions and thereby adopt the necessary measures to deal with student boredom.

A practitioner study on the implementation of strategy instruction for boredom regulation

This article recounts my experience in enhancing my students’ boredom regulation by designing, implementing, and evaluating a strategy instruction project. The project was undertaken with 25 Thai university students enrolled in my English oral communication course for 15 weeks. The project began with exploring how and why my students experienced boredom in my classroom and their habitual boredom coping strategies while examining and modifying the initial design of my strategy instruction. Between weeks 8 and 12, I implemented five boredom regulation strategy sessions by using reappraisals and boredom coping as key components. Students engaged in guided practice, developed their own boredom regulation strategy toolkit, shared their ideas with peers, and reflected on their strategy use. Triangulating data from whole-class surveys, focus group interviews, and the toolkits, I illustrate the positive impact of the project shown on my students’ boredom regulation and on my teacher-researcher development, despite the challenges associated with the complex nature of boredom regulation in an authentic instructional setting. This study sheds light on the ways that students and their teacher can work together to cope with boredom in second language (L2) classroom learning.

Do reading boredom and reading boredom coping strategies predict reading comprehension performance? An empirical investigation of Saudi EFL learners

Boredom is a well-researched concept in various contexts; nonetheless, there is scarceness of research related to the relationship of boredom with reading comprehension performance in EFL context. Therefore, this study intends to determine the connection between reading boredom and reading comprehension performance by employing reading boredom coping strategies as a mediator. A quantitative research approach, and a cross-sectional and correlational research design was employed to conduct this study. Questionnaires and a reading comprehension test were used to collect data from 306 Saudi EFL students. Findings indicated that reading boredom showed a significant but negative relationship with reading comprehension performance. Also, reading boredom was positively and significantly related to reading boredom coping strategies. Moreover, reading boredom coping strategies showed a positive and significant relationship with reading comprehension performance. Lastly, findings indicated that reading boredom coping strategies mediated the association between reading boredom and reading comprehension performance. On the basis of aforementioned findings, numerous recommendations for EFL students, teachers, and policymakers were offered.

Antecedents and effects of boredom among university students: an integrated conditional process model

Boredom coping strategies were incorporated with control-value theory variables of control, value, boredom and academic performance to test an integrated model of the antecedents and effects of boredom experienced while studying among university students. A diverse sample of 177 Australian university students with a mean age of 29.64 years (SD = 10.03 years) completed an online survey for the study. Independently, students’ lower appraisals of value and control for their course of study were associated with higher experiences of boredom. Additionally, a conditional process analysis revealed dually moderated mediation where the interaction of control and value appraisals negatively predicted experience of boredom while studying, and the combination of higher boredom and a high tendency for behavioural avoidance coping was subsequently linked to lower academic performance. Practical implications for students and universities are discussed, as well as suggestions about future research to further extend our understanding in these important areas of research.

사범대학생들의 지루함 대처전략 잠재집단 유형과 자기조절학습, 자기결정성 동기, 일반적 지루함, 성취도 및 주관적 안녕감의 관계

본 연구는 사범대학생들의 지루함 대처전략의 잠재집단 유형과 자기조절학습, 자기결정성 동기, 일반적 지루함, 성취도 및 주관적 안녕감의 관계를 살펴보는 데 목적이 있다. 연구대상은 G대학교의 사범대학 학생들을 대상으로 하였으며 남학생은 119명, 여학생은 250명 전체 369명이다. 측정도구는 지루함 대처전략, 자기조절학습, 자기결정성 동기, 일반적 지루함, 직전학기 GPA, 주관적 안녕감 척도이다. 연구결과 지루함 대처전략의 잠재집단 유형은 3개가 적합한 것으로 나타나 잠재집단 1은 낮은 접근전략과 회피중심형, 잠재집단 2는 적극적 대처전략형, 잠재집단 3은 높은 인지접근과 낮은 회피전략형으로 명명하였다. 잠재집단 2인 적극적 대처전략형은 잠재집단 1인 낮은 접근전략과 회피중심형에 비해서 동기조절, 행동조절, 내적동기가 높은 것으로 나타났다. 잠재집단 3인 높은 인지접근과 낮은 회피전략형은 잠재집단 1인 낮은 접근전략과 회피중심형에 비해서 행동조절, 내적동기, 낮은 지루함, 낮은 정적 안녕감을 보이고 있었다. 잠재집단 2인 적극적 대처전략형은 잠재집단 3인 높은 인지접근과 낮은 회피전략형에 비해서 동기조절이 높고 확인된 동기가 낮은 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구는 사범대학생들의 지루함 대처전략의 유형은 어떠한지, 지루함 대처전략 유형별로 변인들 간의 관계는 어떠한가를 구체적으로 살펴보았다는 데 연구의 의의가 있다고 본다.

Class-related academic boredom among university students: a qualitative research on boredom coping strategies

ABSTRACT Although in recent years, researchers have shown increasing interest in achievement-related emotions, academic boredom included, still the vast majority of the studies that have been carried out on the issue, so far, employed solely or primarily quantitative methods, were largely confined to the field of psychology and were conducted in a limited number of countries. The purpose of this work is to bridge the gap in the literature by presenting a case from an Eastern/Central European country (Poland), based on the qualitative mode of data collection and processing. The paper offers a detailed sociological description and alanysis of university students’ behavours when bored in class applying the taxonony of boredom coping strategies proposed in the relevant literature. The study also introduces the notion of classroom social morphology and its relationship with the employment of various boredom coping strategies and also readdresses the concept of class-related anticipatory boredom and the idea of educational burnout experienced by some students at the end of their studies.

Cyberloafing as a coping mechanism: Dealing with workplace boredom

Workplace cyberloafing (personal use of the internet during working hours) has been recognized as a form of counterproductive work behavior (CWB) that can harm organizations. In this study, we take an opposing view and argue that cyberloafing can serve a potentially positive function in that it can help employees cope with workplace boredom. We describe a study of the cyberloafing behavior and the experienced underload and boredom of 463 university employees with diverse occupations. Results supported the direct relationships between underload and boredom, and boredom and cyberloafing. The indirect underload-boredom-cyberloafing relationship was also significant. Underload was not correlated with CWB, and the boredom-cyberloafing relationship was significantly stronger than the boredom-CWB relationship. Moreover, comparing competing models supported the suggested direction of the underload-boredom-cyberloafing process, as alternative directions did not fit the data. Together, these findings support the conceptualization of cyberloafing as a boredom coping mechanism rather than a form of CWB and highlight the importance of investigating the impact of underload and boredom on employee behaviors.

Trait procrastination, self-efficacy and achievement goals: the mediation role of boredom coping strategies

Limited research has examined the mediational role of coping strategy in students’ motivation and procrastination. In this study, we examined the relationships among self-efficacy, achievement goals, boredom coping strategies and procrastination with 506 Chinese college students. Data were collected via questionnaires. Structural equation modelling results showed that both self-efficacy and approach goals significantly predicted approach-oriented coping strategies, and avoidance goals significantly predicted avoidance-oriented coping strategies. Among the different types of boredom coping strategies, only behavioural avoidance coping strategy significantly predicted procrastination. Hence, the mediating link was only found between avoidance goals, behavioural avoidance coping strategy and procrastination. Implications of the mediating role of behavioural avoidance coping strategy in the goal-procrastination relationship were further discussed.