Is creativity linked to wellbeing? I attempted to answer this question in my postgraduate dissertation, from which I have shared the title and abstract below.
Creativity and Wellbeing: The Predictive Roles of Engagement in Creative Activities, the Character Strength of Creativity, and its Balanced Use for Eudaimonic Wellbeing and Flourishing
Creativity has been conceptualised in many different ways, and there is a lack of understanding about whether creativity and wellbeing are linked. The present research considered three conceptualisations of creativity – as a character strength, optimal creativity use and engagement in creative activities – and aimed to establish whether each aspect of creativity predicts wellbeing and flourishing. Participants (N = 112) were recruited via online advertisements to take part in an online survey, which included measures of creativity, creativity use, engagement, wellbeing and flourishing. The sample was predominately female (78%), with a mean age of 29. Bivariate correlations found relationships between creativity variables and wellbeing outcomes, except for creativity as a character strength, which was not related to wellbeing or flourishing. Two regression models were employed, using optimal creativity use and engagement as predictors of wellbeing or flourishing. Models accounted for 21% of the variance in wellbeing and 25% of variance in flourishing, however only optimal use was a significant predictor in both models. The results strengthen the argument for the inclusion of strengths use in future character strengths research. Future research into engagement in creative activities and optimal creativity use is recommended for the development and adjustment of positive psychology interventions.
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