How the Effects of Foreign Language Enjoyment, Anxiety, Boredom and Peace of Mind on Attitude/Motivation Change With Skill Level, Academic Achievement and Age: A Moderated Mediation Model

ABSTRACT The current study used moderated mediation models to investigate the direct and indirect effects of Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE), Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA), Foreign Language Peace of Mind (FLPOM), and Foreign Language Boredom (FLB), as well as the moderating effects of skill level, academic achievement, and age on the Attitude/Motivation of 502 Moroccan English Foreign Language learners aged between 14 and 60 years old. FLE and FLPOM were found to have a positive direct effect on attitude/motivation while FLCA and FLB were negative predictors. The moderation analysis revealed that the effects of the four emotions on Attitudes/Motivation were partially moderated by skill level and academic achievement. Moderated mediation analyses showed that age affected the relationships between FLE, FLPOM, and FLCA (but not FLB) and Attitudes/Motivation. We conclude that FL learners’ emotions, skill level, academic achievement, and age form a highly dynamic system where variables interact differently according to the age of participants.