Daily Stress and Creativity in Pre-Adolescents: Relationships with Emotional Intelligence and Resilience

Introduction. Preadolescence is a developmental stage marked by rapid cognitive, social and emotional changes that can affect students' adjustment and academic experiences. This study examines the interplay among core educational variables that play a crucial role in fostering students’ academic success, personal growth, and emotional well-being. Method. A cross-sectional quantitative design was followed in a sample of 180 Spanish students aged 10–12. Participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring daily stress, emotional intelligence, resilience, and creativity. Results. Results showed low to moderate levels of daily stress and creativity, and high resilience and emotional intelligence. Daily stress was negatively correlated with resilience and two emotional intelligence dimensions (emotional clarity and repair). Creativity correlated positively with emotional intelligence and resilience but not with stress. No sex differences were found, though fifth-grade students outperformed sixth-graders in the creativity interest dimension. Regression analyses confirmed that emotional intelligence predicted lower stress, but no mediation effects were found. Discussion and Conclusion. Findings highlight the protective role of emotional intelligence and resilience in stress management and their link with creativity. However, creativity was not influenced by stress, challenging some theoretical expectations. These results underline the need to integrate socioemotional skill development into educational programs to enhance resilience and creativity among students.