Predictive Effects of Teacher Support and Peer Support on Chinese University Students' L2 Engagement: the Mediating Role of Mindfulness

This large-scale quantitative study investigated the predictive effects of teacher support, peer support, and mindfulness on Chinese university students' second language (L2) engagement, and the mediating effect of mindfulness in the relationships of teacher support and peer support with L2 engagement. A total of 571 students completed the L2 Engagement Scale, the Teacher-and-Peer Support Scale, and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. The main findings were: (a) teacher support, peer support, and mindfulness significantly and positively predicted L2 engagement, (b) teacher support significantly and positively predicted mindfulness, while peer support negatively predicted mindfulness, and (c) mindfulness significantly mediated the relationships between teacher support and L2 engagement, as well as between peer support and L2 engagement. Based on these findings, several pedagogical implications were provided.