Xiaoyun Liu, Ziqing Xu, Huilin Wang
Introduction English-mediated social interaction is a key component of second language (L2) learning and social adaptation among Chinese international students. In the United Kingdom, Chinese international students often face cultural adjustment challenges and social-evaluative concerns when using English, which may contribute to social interaction anxiety. This study examines the association between cultural intelligence and social interaction anxiety and explores the mediating roles of psychological resilience and fear of negative evaluation. Methods Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected in December 2025 from 441 Chinese international students studying in the UK using an online questionnaire. Participants were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was conducted using AMOS 26 to test the hypothesized associations and indirect pathways. Results Cultural intelligence was positively associated with psychological resilience and negatively associated with fear of negative evaluation. Psychological resilience was negatively associated with both fear of negative evaluation and social interaction anxiety, whereas fear of negative evaluation was positively associated with social interaction anxiety. Bootstrapping analyses indicated a significant indirect association between cultural intelligence and social interaction anxiety through psychological resilience and fear of negative evaluation. The model explained 22% of the variance in psychological resilience, 30% of the variance in fear of negative evaluation, and 34% of the variance in social interaction anxiety. Discussion The findings suggest that cultural intelligence may function as a potential psychological resource associated with lower social interaction anxiety in English-mediated contexts. However, because the data are cross-sectional, causal interpretations should be made with caution. The results underscore the importance of culturally informed and psychologically supportive practices in English-medium higher education and contribute to the literature on culture and L2 learning among Chinese international students.