The Mediating Effect of Listening Metacognitive Awareness Between Listening Test Anxiety and Listening Test Performance

This study aims to test the mediating effect of listening metacognitive awareness between listening anxiety and listening test score, as well as between test anxiety and listening test score, among a sample of 402 Chinese English as a foreign language test takers. Participants filled in the questionnaires in a self-reported manner, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Results showed that listening metacognitive awareness mediates the relationship between listening anxiety and listening test score, as well as the relationship between test anxiety and listening test score. In addition, listening metacognitive awareness mediates the relationship between listening anxiety and listening test score in a low listening proficiency group but not in a high listening proficiency group. Finally, listening metacognitive awareness does not mediate the relationship between test anxiety and listening test score in both groups. The theoretical and practical implications were discussed.