Measurement Invariance and Latent Mean Analysis of the Creative Mindsets Scale(CMS) for Dance Students

Objectives In the present study, we validated the factor structure of the two-factor, 10-item Creative Mindsets Scale (Creative MIndsets Scale; Karwowski, 2014) among high school and college students majoring in dance and analyzed the measurement invariance and latent mean differences of the scale. Methods A total of 553 students (257 high school students and 296 college students) majoring in dance at arts high schools and universities in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province responded to questionnaires measuring creative mindset, intrinsic creative motivation, and creative achievement. The data were processed using descriptive statistics, correlation, simple regression, internal consistency, confirmatory factor analysis, and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. Results The two-factor measurement model consisting of growth creative mindset and fixed creative mindset was well-fitted to the data (² =128.35, df=34, CMIN/DF=3.77, CFI=.996, TLI=.946, SRMR=.050, RMSEA=.071), and both Cronbach's ɑ and McDonald's for reliability were above 0.80. Predictive validity was established with creative mindset having a positive effect on intrinsic creative motivation and creative achievement. The results of the multi-group confirmatory factor analysis showed that the high school and college student groups were fully invariant in terms of form identity (underlying model), while the metric/scalar/factor variance identity was partially confirmed. Furthermore, while the high school group scored higher on growth mindset than the college group, the college group scored higher on fixed mindset than the high school group. Conclusions These findings suggest that the Creative Mindset Scale can be used to measure high school and college students' beliefs about their dance-related creative abilities, and that teaching and learning strategies are needed to promote the beliefs of dance students and professional dancers that creativity and talent can be developed through learning and effort.