Creative thinking, mathematics achievement, and well-being: A multilevel analysis of Spanish students

Promotion of creative thinking and students' well-being are now seen as important indicators of human capital; however, role of creativity skills and self-beliefs in academic success remains unclear. This study analyzes the relationship between creativity-related factors and student achievement in Spain using PISA 2022 data from 30,800 fifteen-year-old students across 966 schools. Two-level cross-sectional multilevel modeling provided manner to examine both student and school levels of predictors of outcomes — mathematics achievement, life satisfaction, and stress resistance. Analysis indicated that creative thinking had positive relationship (p < .001) with mathematics achievement at student level (β = 3.95) and school level (β = 2.55). On the other hand, different factors explained well-being outcomes; all life satisfaction and stress resistance were positively predicted by creative self-efficacy (β = 0.17 and β = 0.10, p <.001). This study highlights unique roles of creative performance (related to academics) and creative confidence (related to well-being).