Psychosocial profiles of university students’ emotional adjustment, perceived social support, self-efficacy belief, and foreign language anxiety during COVID-19

Objective: The aim of the study was to understand Chinese university students’ psychological development during the COVID-19 outbreak. Method: Four online surveys, i.e., emotional adjustment, perceived social support, self-efficacy belief, and anxiety in English learning, were administered to 585 university students in China. The data were analyzed through a latent profile analysis. Results: Three profiles were identified: high adaptation, moderate adaptation, and low adaptation. The students with high adaptation (n = 276, 47.1%) possessed a more positive self-efficacy belief and demonstrated lower levels of anxiety. In contrast, the students with low adaptation (n = 82, 14%) possessed a less positive self-efficacy belief and demonstrated higher levels of anxiety. Conclusion: The findings highlight the need of psychological interventions to support the psychological development of vulnerable groups of learners within and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. KEY POINTS: What is already known about this topic: (1) Anxiety is an important factor that influences the learning of foreign languages. (2) Self-efficacy and perceived social support help students cope with stress. (3) Emotional adjustment helps to reduce foreign language anxiety. What this paper adds: (1) Students with low adaptation possessed lower levels of self-efficacy belief and demonstrated higher levels of anxiety. (2) Teachers need to pay special attention to the psychological development of vulnerable groups of learners within and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. (3) Teachers are advised to develop interventions that enhance students’ self-efficacy beliefs and offer tailored interventions on emotional adjustment strategies.