The effects of character strengths interventions on EFL adults' self-efficacy and willingness to communicate

For centuries, humans and their intrinsic existence have been subjects of curiosity in research. With the acceleration of scientific and technological advancements, human life has become increasingly easier, but the state of happiness has often been replaced by greater unhappiness. As a response to this need, positive psychology, a subfield of psychology, was developed. Positive psychology is the scientific study of optimal human functioning and well-being. This field aims to examine the positive emotions, thoughts, and behavior patterns that influence the development of individuals and societies, focusing more on the healthy aspects of the human mind rather than diseases and mental disorders. By supporting people in developing positive emotions and behavior patterns throughout their lives, positive psychology emphasizes positivity in scientific research and applications. It has been applied in various fields such as education, health, economics, management (organizational behavior), leadership, social services, and many others. However, there is a lack of research investigating the impact of positive psychology interventions on adult language learning in a natural environment. This study aims to explore the effects of character strengths interventions on the self-efficacy and willingness to communicate of adults learning English as a foreign language. The research employs a mixed-method approach, including both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Participants engaged in a series of positive psychology character strengths interventions (creativity, curiosity, judgment, love of learning, perspective, self-regulation, leadership) over seven class hours. At the end of this process, their perceptions of self-efficacy in the foreign language were assessed using the English Self-Efficacy Beliefs Scale (Yanar and Bümen, 2012). Additionally, semi-structured interview forms were used to examine participants' perceptions, experiences, and changes in their willingness to communicate during the positive psychology interventions. Qualitative data were evaluated through content analysis. The findings from the analysis show that character strengths interventions significantly impact the self-efficacy and willingness to communicate of adults learning English as a foreign language. The study concludes with recommendations for researchers and educators.