Exploring the Relationship Between Students’ Emotions in Emotion-Based Activities, Creativity, and Psychological Well-Being

<b>Background:</b> University students' emotions, creativity, and psychological well-being are interrelated, yet the mechanisms linking emotion-driven activities to creative expression and mental health outcomes remain underexplored. <b>Purpose:</b> This study aimed to examine the interrelationships between students' emotions in emotion-based activities, creativity, and psychological well-being. <b>Research Design:</b> A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed, utilizing validated self-report questionnaires and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) for data analysis. Study Sample: The sample consisted of 952 university students learning English as a foreign language (EFL). <b>Data Collection and/or Analysis:</b> Data were collected via standardized questionnaires assessing emotional engagement, creativity, and psychological well-being. SEM was conducted using AMOS to evaluate the measurement and structural models, with reliability and validity indices reported. <b>Results:</b> Emotional engagement negatively predicted creativity (<i>β</i> = -0.584, <i>p</i> = .002), indicating that heightened involvement in emotion-based activities may constrain creative expression. Creativity positively predicted psychological well-being (<i>β</i> = 0.591, <i>p</i> = .001), and emotions exhibited a strong positive effect on well-being (<i>β</i> = 0.653, <i>p</i> = .001). The structural model explained 51% of the variance in psychological well-being (<i>R²</i> = .513, <i>p</i> < .001). The measurement model demonstrated satisfactory fit (<i>CFI</i> = 0.924, <i>RMSEA</i> = 0.067, <i>TLI</i> = 0.947), with all constructs showing strong reliability (<i>CR</i> ≥ 0.83) and validity (<i>AVE</i> ≥ 0.86). <b>Conclusions:</b> The findings underscore the complex interplay between affective experiences and creativity in shaping students' psychological well-being. Educational interventions should consider balancing emotional engagement with opportunities for creative expression to enhance mental health outcomes in academic contexts.