Moderation of teacher-student rapport in the link between smartphone addiction and foreign language burnout and its gender difference

As smartphone addiction (SPA) among young learners grows, a consequential increase in learning burnout is observed. However, the association between SPA and learning burnout, especially in the context of foreign language (FL) learning, remains underexplored. In particular, the factors that might mitigate this relationship and the potential variations across genders have not been sufficiently examined. Drawing upon control value theory and social capital theory, this study sheds light on the moderating role of teacher-student rapport (TSR) in the SPA-FL burnout nexus, and also explores the potential gender differences. The research involved a total of 4,372 secondary-level students in China (54.3% boys), using student-reported data on SPA, TSR, and FL learning burnout. The results revealed a positive correlation between SPA and burnout in FL learning. Furthermore, TSR played a crucial moderating role in this relationship. Interestingly, gender differences were identified in the moderating effect of TSR on the SPA-FL burnout link. That is, TSR only mitigated the effects of SPA on FL burnout among male students, but this did not hold true for female students. These findings have theoretical and pedagogical implications for FL education.