Introduction:
Fostering creativity and promoting school well-being are essential for the holistic development of students. However, the relationship between these two factors and the underlying mechanisms remains insufficiently explored, particularly within the context of higher education.
Purpose:
The present study aims to investigate the bidirectional influence of creativity and well-being among college students, focusing on the mediating role of academic engagement.
Method:
This study consists of two phases: a cross-sectional study (Study 1) and a longitudinal study (Study 2). In Study 1, 665 college students participated in an online survey. Structural equation modeling was employed to examine the bidirectional relationship between self-reported creativity and school well-being, with academic engagement as a mediator. Study 2 involved 302 college students who completed weekly surveys over seven weeks. A cross-lagged model was used to investigate the predictive relationship between weekly creative behaviors and school well-being, again considering academic engagement as a mediating variable.
Results:
Study 1 found a significant reciprocal relationship between creativity and school well-being, with academic engagement fully mediating this relationship. Study 2 further supported these findings, showing that weekly creative behaviors and school well-being were mutually predictive, with academic engagement playing a significant role in this dynamic over time.
Conclusions:
This study provides new empirical evidence that creativity and school well-being are reciprocally linked, with academic engagement serving as a critical mediator in this relationship. The findings underscore the importance of fostering creativity and engagement in college settings to enhance students' overall well-being, offering valuable insights for interventions aimed at improving student development in higher education.