{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]],"date-time":"2026-07-29T06:58:13Z","timestamp":1785308293013,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]],"date-time":"2026-07-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785283200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Cognitive overload and speaking anxiety are major barriers to second language acquisition, particularly in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) contexts. Multimedia learning, artificial intelligence (AI), mobile learning (m-learning), and cognitive-affective interventions have been proposed to enhance language performance and reduce anxiety; however, their overall effectiveness remains unclear.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Objective<\/jats:title>\n To evaluate the effects of multimedia-assisted language learning, cognitive-affective interventions, learner-related factors, and speaking anxiety across educational settings and to quantify their effectiveness through meta-analysis.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n \n This meta-analysis followed systematic evidence-synthesis procedures. A total of 38 studies published between 2013 and 2026 were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-I tool, and evidence quality was evaluated using GRADE criteria. Random-effects inverse-variance models were applied to calculate standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity was assessed using the I\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n statistic. Publication bias was examined through funnel plots and Egger\u2019s regression test, while robustness was evaluated using leave-one-out sensitivity analyses.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n Significant positive effects were observed across all four domains (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f&lt;\u202f0.05). Multimedia and technology-enhanced language learning demonstrated a pooled SMD of 0.44 (95% CI: 0.31\u20130.58;\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n \u202f=\u202f45.6%). Anxiety-reduction and cognitive-affective interventions showed an SMD of 0.51 (95% CI: 0.40\u20130.62;\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n \u202f=\u202f13.5%). Studies examining anxiety, academic achievement, and learner-related factors yielded an SMD of 0.51 (95% CI: 0.41\u20130.62;\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n \u202f=\u202f27.5%). The strongest effect was observed for interventions targeting speaking anxiety in educational settings (SMD\u202f=\u202f0.54, 95% CI: 0.47\u20130.62;\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n \u202f=\u202f16.7%). ROBINS-I assessments indicated predominantly moderate risk of bias, whereas GRADE ratings ranged from high certainty for multimedia-based interventions to low-to-moderate certainty for context-specific approaches. Egger\u2019s test detected no significant publication bias (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f&gt;\u202f0.05). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the stability of pooled estimates, with effect sizes ranging from 0.52 to 0.54.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n Multimedia-assisted learning, AI-enhanced educational environments, and cognitive-affective interventions significantly improve language learning outcomes and reduce speaking anxiety. Speaking anxiety remains a key determinant of language achievement, while psychological factors such as self-efficacy and confidence play crucial roles in successful language acquisition.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1850074","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]],"date-time":"2026-07-29T05:58:18Z","timestamp":1785304698000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Cognitive overload in multimedia language learning: a review of attention limits and instructional design strategies"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Yan","family":"Qi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Education, School of Foreign Languages, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology","place":["Taiyuan, Shanxi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","first-page":"1","article-title":"Exploring speaking anxiety in communicative English classrooms at a polytechnic in Malaysia","volume":"2","author":"Aarif","year":"2019","journal-title":"Seminarsepanjanghayat"},{"key":"ref2","first-page":"124","article-title":"Second language speaking anxiety among TESL undergraduates in a private university","volume":"5","author":"Achanan","year":"2021","journal-title":"Selangor Humaniora Review"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"609","DOI":"10.31949\/jell.v8i2.11306","article-title":"The relationship between students\u2019 anxiety level and English-speaking competency in eleventh-grade student of SMA Negeri 1 Singaraja","volume":"8","author":"Aditya","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. 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