The “Pressure Trap”: A Mixed‐Methods Study of the L2 Motivational Self System and Academic Achievement in a Chinese Border Region

ABSTRACT This study investigates the relationship between the L2 motivational self system and the academic achievement of junior English majors ( N = 243) within the socio‐geographic context of a border region in Southwest China. Employing a mixed‐methods design, the research utilized questionnaires, CET‐4 scores, and semi‐structured interviews to examine how different motivational self‐guides are associated with achievement patterns. Quantitative results from correlation and multiple regression analyses indicate that while the ideal L2 self and L2 learning experience are relatively strong positive predictors of CET‐4 performance, the ought‐to L2 self is significantly but modestly negatively associated with academic performance. Qualitative thematic analysis further illustrates these divergent motivational patterns: high achievers tended to report vivid future visions and positive pedagogical engagement, whereas some low achievers described external requirements, test‐induced anxiety, and perceived linguistic isolation in ways that this study interprets as a possible “pressure trap.” These findings suggest a nuanced role for the ought‐to L2 self, pointing to its potentially constraining association with achievement in high‐stakes testing environments where linguistic capital may be limited. The study suggests that pedagogical interventions in similar regional contexts may benefit from shifting from “test‐oriented” pressure toward “vision‐oriented” inspiration and from leveraging digital resources to support learners’ future‐oriented English identities.