Effects of Creative School Environments and Future Goals on Children's Creativity: The Mediating Effects of Perceived Happiness

Abstract

This study examined the effects of the creative school environments (friend support, teacher support, teacher's controlled attitude) and future goals (extrinsic goals, intrinsic goals) on children's creativity through perceived happiness. For analysis, 10th data (age 9) from the Korean Children Panel were used. Mediation analyses revealed that social support from friends and teachers was positively related to children's creativity through the mediating effects of perceived happiness. On the other hand, teachers' strict and controlled attitudes negatively affected children's happiness, which lowered students' creativity. In addition, the mediating effect of perceived happiness on the relation between children's future goals and creativity was statistically significant. It suggests that children with intrinsic future goals (e.g., helping others, building a happy family) are happier, in turn, more creative than those with extrinsic future goals (e.g., making a lot of money, being famous). The theoretical and practical implications, as well as the limitations of the current study, are discussed.