The effect of EFL learners’ identity on English speaking proficiency and autonomous learning skills among university students: the mediating role of speaking anxiety

Introduction: As a Foreign Language (EFL) learner identity constitutes a pivotal sociopsychological factor in higher education; however, empirical research on how learner identity relates to speaking proficiency (SP) and autonomous learning skills (ALS) remains limited, particularly regarding the affective mechanism through speaking anxiety (SA). Methods: Drawing on Identity Theory and the Affective Filter Hypothesis, the present study examined the effect of EFL learner identity, modeled as a second order latent construct indicated by identity belongingness (IDB) and identity expectations (IDE), on SP and ALS among 392 Chinese non-English major sophomores, and tested speaking anxiety (SA) as a mediator using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: The results showed that overall learner identity significantly predicted both SP and ALS, and that SA served as a meaningful affective pathway, accounting for approximately 36% of the total effects on learning outcomes. Discussion: These findings highlight the importance of fostering an identity-supportive learning environment that reduces the "affective filter" and strengthens university students' oral communication and learner autonomy in EFL contexts.