Longitudinal development and interrelations of motivation, ethnic identity, and self-perceived proficiency among adolescent Chinese heritage learners in Belgium

This study examines the longitudinal development and interrelations of motivation, ethnic identity, and self-perceived proficiency in Chinese among 46 adolescent Chinese heritage language learners attending Chinese language schools in Belgium. Using four waves of data collected over two academic years, the study first examined changes in the three constructs. Although group-level analyses showed overall stability, qualitative responses revealed meaningful individual-level fluctuations in both motivation and ethnic identity. Cross-lagged analyses then assessed how the constructs influenced one another over time. Motivation and ethnic identity demonstrated reciprocal longitudinal effects, indicating that each contributes to the other’s development. Motivation and self-perceived proficiency were connected mainly through concurrent associations, suggesting immediate but not lasting links. By contrast, ethnic identity and perceived proficiency showed moderately positive correlations without predictive effects. These findings provide the first longitudinal evidence from Europe-based Chinese language school contexts on how the three constructs evolve and interact. They underscore the importance of pedagogical practices that foster ethnic identity, sustain motivation, and build learners’ confidence in their heritage language proficiency, which together shape adolescents’ heritage language learning process.