Toddlers’ anxiety predicts their creativity at the age of five: The chain mediation effects of general cognition and mastery motivation

Abstract

Early childhood anxiety is a common mental health problem that affects the development of the individual central executive func-tion, which reflects the process of creative problem-solving. In this study, a longitudinal study was designed to explore the long-term effect of preschool children's anxiety on their creativity as well as the potential mechanism. Ninety-six families (42 boys and 54 Girls) from BEIJING participated in the study. At the age of 1 and 2, the mother filled in the Social Assessment Scale for children aged 12-36 months of Chinese version and the family Basic Information Questionnaire. The Bayley Scale for Infant and Child Development was used to assess children's general cognitive abilities at age 2; at age 3, mothers reported their children's mastery of motivation; and at age 5, the Thinking Creatively in Action and Movement was used to assess children's creativity. The results show that: (1) toddlers' anxiety (general anxiety and separation anxiety) can negatively predict their creativity at the age of 5; (2) general cognition and mastery motivation play an important role in linking toddlers' anxiety (general anxiety and separation anxiety) and preschoolers' creativity; (3) toddlers' general anxiety in early childhood can also have a negative effect on their creativity at 5 years old indirectly through their motivation.