Open Access

ARTICLE

Promoting psychological well-being in AI-enhanced english as a foreign language learning: A mixed-methods study of motivation, language learning anxiety and trust in higher education

Zhiyong Sun^*

School of Foreign Languages, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, China

* Corresponding Author: Zhiyong Sun. Email:

Journal of Psychology in Africa 2026, 36(1), 33-43. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2026.074741

Received 16 October 2025; Accepted 05 January 2026; Issue published 26 February 2026

Abstract

This mixed-methods study investigated how AI-enhanced English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning environments influence students’ psychological well-being through the mediating roles of motivation and language learning anxiety and the moderating role of trust. Participants were Chinese university students (N = 310, 62% female, mean age = 18.9, SD = 0.8), of whom 15 completed interviews to both add to and to clarify the evidence from the surveys. Structural equation modeling results revealed that AI use had significant indirect effects on well-being through increased motivation and reduced language learning anxiety. Trust in AI significantly moderated both paths, amplifying the motivational benefits and anxiety reduction associated with AI use. Thematic analysis supported these results, identifying three experiential themes: (1) motivational empowerment through personalization, (2) anxiety regulation through safe practice and feedback, and (3) trust as the emotional bridge between AI and well-being. The study extends AI psychology applications by empirically linking technology engagement with affective outcomes and underscores the need for human-centered and trust-enhancing design in AI-supported education. From these findings, we conclude that adaptive, transparent, and autonomy-supportive AI systems promote self-determined motivation, emotional safety, and overall psychological health among EFL learners.

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