Examining the relationships between cognitive load, anxiety, and story continuation writing performance: a structural equation modeling approach

Previous studies have left a significant gap in researching the relationships among affective variables, cognitive factors, and learning outcomes in second language (L2) writing. To fill in this research gap, the present study set out to unveil the relationships between L2 writers’ cognitive load, anxiety, and writing performance. A total of 197 Grade 12 students from a Chinese public high school were recruited. Participants were required to complete a story continuation writing task (SCWT), the L2 Writing Cognitive Load Scale, and the L2 Writing Anxiety Scale. Structural equation modeling showed that: 1) L2 learners’ cognitive load had a direct effect on writing anxiety which in turn directly impacted SCWT performance; 2) L2 writing anxiety fully mediated the effect of cognitive load on SCWT performance; and 3) Cognitive load mainly influenced cognitive anxiety, a subcomponent of writing anxiety. The implications of the findings for L2 teaching and learning are discussed.