Goal Orientations and Engagement in Chinese University EFL Learning: Evidence from SEM and LPA

Sustaining engagement is a central challenge in university EFL learning, especially in contexts where English study is closely tied to assessment, peer comparison, and career opportunities. Drawing on achievement goal theory, this study examined how four second-language achievement goal orientations were associated with Chinese university students' EFL engagement. It asked two main questions: how mastery-approach, mastery-avoidance, performance-approach, and performance-avoidance goals were related to vigor, dedication, and absorption; and how different combinations of these goals were linked to engagement outcomes. Questionnaire data were collected from 589 English-major university students in China. Structural equation modeling was used to examine variable-level associations, while latent profile analysis was used to identify goal profiles. BCH analysis was then conducted to compare engagement across profiles. The SEM results showed that all four goal orientations were positively associated with the three engagement dimensions, although the larger coefficients for avoidance goals should be interpreted descriptively rather than as evidence of statistically stronger effects. The LPA results supported a five-profile solution:Low-All, Mastery/Avoidance-Oriented, Performance/Avoidance-Oriented, High-All, and Approach-Oriented. BCH comparisons showed that the Low-All Goal Profile reported the weakest engagement, whereas the High-All Goal Profile and the Performance/Avoidance-Oriented Goal Profile reported relatively high engagement. These findings suggest that EFL engagement is shaped not only by separate goal orientations but also by students' broader motivational patterns. Pedagogically, the study points to the need for differentiated support: students with weak goal endorsement may need clearer short-term goals, while highly engaged students with strong performance or avoidance concerns may need both challenge and pressure control.