Psychosocial Factors Contributing to Critical Thinking in Writing Skills: A Systematic Review of EFL Learners
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59175/pijed.v4i2.726Keywords:
Critical Thinking, EFL Writing, Psychosocial FactorsAbstract
Critical thinking (CT) in EFL writing is not solely a linguistic ability but a psychosocial process involving regulation, motivation, and social support. This study conducted a PRISMA-guided systematic review (2015–2024) across major databases, screening 364 records and including 20 empirical studies using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method designs. Given the heterogeneity of measures, narrative synthesis and vote counting were applied. The findings reveal that key psychosocial contributors to CT in writing include self-regulated learning (SRL) and metacognition, writing self-efficacy, resilience, motivation and grit, teacher autonomy support, feedback, classroom climate, peer collaboration, emotion regulation, and technology-mediated feedback. A cascade model is proposed in which Teacher Autonomy Support and Classroom Climate influence Engagement, which then promotes SRL and Metacognition, leading to Writing Self-Efficacy, Resilience, and Motivation, and ultimately enhancing Critical Thinking in Writing. These relationships are shaped by learners’ anxiety and emotion-regulation capacities, and further strengthened by technology-supported learning environments. The review recommends integrating SRL cycles, autonomy-supportive feedback, peer reasoning routines, and emotion-regulation strategies into EFL writing instruction. Overall, this work offers an evidence-informed framework that connects psychosocial dynamics with reasoning quality in EFL writing and provides a broader conceptual foundation for advancing research in language learning and learner development.
References
Abouyassine, B. (2023). Teacher’s Instructions and Students’ Critical Thinking Teaching Writing as a Case Study. International Journal of Social Science and Human Research, 6(08), 4833–4843. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijsshr/v6-i8-31
Alsowat, H. H. (2022). Influences of Critical Thinking Disposition on Situated Academic Writing Self-efficacy of EFL Students. Studies in English Language Teaching, 10(1), p106. https://doi.org/10.22158/selt.v10n1p106
Anggraeni, C. W., Mujiyanto, J., Rustipa, K., & Widhiyanto. (2025). Effects of utilizing self-regulated learning-based instruction on EFL students’ academic writing skills: a mixed-method investigation. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40862-024-00317-6
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Cheng, S. (2022). Exploring the role of translators’ emotion regulation and critical thinking ability in translation performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 13(November), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1037829
Chong, S. W., Lin, T. J., & Chen, Y. (2022). A methodological review of systematic literature reviews in higher education: Heterogeneity and homogeneity. Educational Research Review, 35, 100426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2021.100426
Halim, A., & Hadiyanti, S. U. E. (2021). Metacognitive Learning Approach in Affecting Students’ Self-Regulated Learning in Writing Course. AL-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan, 13(2), 1175–1184. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v13i2.571
Imsa-ard, P. (2025). Learning-oriented assessment and L2 argumentative writing: effects on writing ability and academic resilience. Discover Education, 4(1), 396. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-025-00779-x
Kasneci, E., Sessler, K., Küchemann, S., Bannert, M., Dementieva, D., Fischer, F., Gasser, U., Groh, G., Günnemann, S., Hüllermeier, E., Krusche, S., Kutyniok, G., Michaeli, T., Nerdel, C., Pfeffer, J., Poquet, O., Sailer, M., Schmidt, A., Seidel, T., … Kasneci, G. (2023). ChatGPT for good? On opportunities and challenges of large language models for education. Learning and Individual Differences, 103, 102274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2023.102274
Kleemola, K., Hyytinen, H., Toom, A., & Hyytinen, H. (2023). Critical thinking and writing in transition to higher education in Finland : do prior academic performance and socioeconomic background matter ? European Journal of Higher Education, 13(4). https://doi.org/10.1080/21568235.2022.2075417
Li, L. (2023). Critical thinking from the ground up: teachers’ conceptions and practice in EFL classrooms. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 29(6), 571–593. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2023.2191182
Liu, F., & Stapleton, P. (2020). Counterargumentation at the primary level: An intervention study investigating the argumentative writing of second language learners. System, 89, 102198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2019.102198
Mallahi, O. (2023). Critical Thinking Skills, Academic Resilience, Grit and Argumentative Writing Performance of Iranian EFL Learners. Journal of Modern Research in English Language …, 11, 100–130. https://doi.org/10.30479/jmrels.2023.18827.2217
Maryam, Z., Sanif, S., Rehman, A. U., Mohamed, S. H., & Azman, N. B. (2025). The Impact of Self-Directed Learning on Academic Writing Skills of EFL Learners with Critical Thinking Ability. Language Teaching Research Quarterly, 47(1), 281–304. https://doi.org/10.32038/ltrq.2025.47.15
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., … Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. PLoS Medicine, 18(3), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1371/JOURNAL.PMED.1003583
Rasool, U., Qian, J., & Aslam, M. Z. (2023). An investigation of foreign language writing anxiety and its reasons among pre-service EFL teachers in Pakistan. Frontiers in Psychology, 13(1995). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.947867
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
Sajidin. (2025). Fostering critical thinking skills among EFL learners in higher education - A systematic review. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 59, 101943. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2025.101943
Sun, Q., Zhang, L. J., & Carter, S. (2024). English as a foreign language learners’ metacognitive experiences and writing development: Unraveling the process of learning EFL writing. Learning and Individual Differences, 115(August). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2024.102540
Teng, M. F., & Yue, M. (2023). Metacognitive writing strategies, critical thinking skills, and academic writing performance: A structural equation modeling approach. Metacognition and Learning, 18(1), 237–260. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11409-022-09328-5
Tian, Y., Kim, M., & Crossley, S. (2024). Making sense of L2 written argumentation with keystroke logging. Journal of Writing Research, 15(3), 435–461. https://doi.org/10.17239/JOWR-2024.15.03.01
Trigueros, R., Padilla, A., Aguilar-Parra, J. M., Mercader, I., López-Liria, R., & Rocamora, P. (2020). The influence of transformational teacher leadership on academic motivation and resilience, burnout and academic performance. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(20), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17207687
Tsao, J. J. (2021). Effects of EFL Learners’ L2 Writing Self-efficacy on Engagement with Written Corrective Feedback. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 30(6), 575–584. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-021-00591-9
Wang, X., Ma, J., Li, X., & Shen, X. (2023). Validation of Self-Regulated Writing Strategies for Advanced EFL Learners in China: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 13(4), 776–795. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe13040059
Wang, Y., Luo, W., Liao, X., & Zhao, P. (2024). Exploring the effect of teacher autonomy support on Chinese EFL undergraduates’ academic English speaking performance through the mediation of basic psychological needs and classroom engagement. Frontiers in Psychology, 15(February), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1323713
Xu, T., & Jumaat, N. F. (2025). Enhancing Critical Thinking in EFL Writing Through an AI-Supported Blended Learning Model. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarped/v14-i1/24850
Yin, X., Saad, M. R. B. M., & Halim, H. B. A. (2023). A systematic review of critical thinking instructional pedagogies in EFL writing: What do we know from a decade of research. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 49(June), 101363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101363
Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M., & Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence applications in higher education – where are the educators? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0171-0
Zou, D., Xie, H., & Wang, F. L. (2023). Effects of technology enhanced peer, teacher and self-feedback on students’ collaborative writing, critical thinking tendency and engagement in learning. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 35(1), 166–185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-022-09337-y
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Samsul Amri, Urip Sulistiyo, Delita Sartika
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
