The Role of Well‐Being and Grit in Metacognitive Self‐Regulation Among Language Teachers: Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling

ABSTRACT Teachers are expected to maintain positive well‐being and strong teacher grit, along with appropriate use of self‐regulation strategies to enhance their teaching effectiveness and promote professional development. However, there is insufficient inquiry into the contribution of well‐being and grit to teachers' metacognitive self‐regulation (MSR) in foreign language teaching. Informed by the EMPATHICS model, this study investigated the interplay between well‐being, grit (i.e., perseverance of effort and consistency of interest), and MSR (i.e., goal setting, self‐evaluation, and self‐monitoring) of 242 tertiary‐level in‐service foreign language (L2) teachers in China. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM) confirmed the direct influence of well‐being and grit on L2 teachers' MSR, as well as the mediating role of grit in the relationship between well‐being and MSR. Specifically, the results showed that well‐being not only directly influenced L2 teachers' use of MSR strategies but also served as a psychological base, indirectly contributing to MSR through the mediation of grit. Additionally, in comparison to consistency of interest, perseverance of effort generated a stronger predictive effect on L2 teachers' MSR and served as a stronger mediator between well‐being and MSR.