Academic English Literacy as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Psychological Capital and Academic Success in English Medium Instruction

ABSTRACT

In English Medium Instruction (EMI) contexts, students face simultaneous linguistic and academic demands. Although psychological capital (PsyCap) has been recognized as an important psychological resource for academic success, less is known about whether its effects depend on students’ academic English literacy (AEL). This study examined the associations between PsyCap dimensions and academic success, and whether these associations varied with students’ AEL in EMI settings. Structural equation modeling showed that hope ( β = 0.16), self‐efficacy ( β = 0.19), and resilience ( β = 0.20) were positively associated with academic success, whereas optimism was not ( β = 0.01). Moderation analyses further indicated that the positive associations of self‐efficacy and resilience with academic success were stronger at higher levels of AEL, while interactions involving hope and optimism were not statistically significant. The findings highlight the dimension‐specific and conditional nature of PsyCap in EMI contexts and underscore the role of AEL as a key enabling factor linking psychological resources to academic success.