Effects of Adolescents’ Creativity on Career Maturity: Differences by High School Type

This study examined how the relationship between creativity and career maturity varies by school type, focusing on simultaneous and lagged effects through the use of latent growth modeling. Creativity and career maturity are critical factors during adolescence and are influenced by educational environments and learning experiences. Using nonlinear conditional latent growth modeling with control variables, the study analyzed data from students attending general, specialized, and vocational high schools. The results showed that creativity exerted stable simultaneous effects on career maturity throughout middle and high school, while lagged effects differed across school types. Creativity in the first year of high school significantly influenced career maturity in the second year among students in general high schools. In specialized high schools, creativity had a significant impact during the transition from middle to high school. In vocational high schools, lagged effects were observed across all periods, although the effect sizes were relatively smaller. These findings highlight the importance of creativity as a predictor of career maturity and underscore the need for tailored career education programs designed for different school types.