Perceived parenting styles and creativity among Chinese college students: the multiple mediating roles of self-efficacy and psychological resilience
Abstract
Introduction Creativity is a fundamental driver of economic growth and societal transformation. The development of creativity can be viewed as a function of the dynamic interplay between environmental contingencies and individual dispositions. Research has explored the association between perceived parenting styles and creativity, but few studies have focused on the mediating pathways that explain this relationship. The aim of this study is to examine whether self-efficacy and psychological resilience play a mediating role between perceived parenting styles and creativity. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 750 Chinese college students using convenience sampling from March to May 2025. Data were collected using the Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran (EMBU), the General Self-efficacy Scale (GSES), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the William Creativity Assessment Test (WCAT). Correlation analysis and mediation tests were performed using SPSS 22.0 and PROCESS macro 3.3 with bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals (5000 resamples) to test indirect effects. Results Correlation analysis revealed significant relationships among perceived parenting styles, self-efficacy, psychological resilience, and creativity. Further mediation analysis revealed that perceived parenting styles were associated with college students' creativity through three indirect pathways: via self-efficacy, via psychological resilience, and via both sequentially. Discussion This study concludes that perceived parenting styles are directly associated with college students' creativity, and are also indirectly associated with it through the mediating roles of self-efficacy and psychological resilience, as well as through their chain mediating role. These findings identify self-efficacy and psychological resilience as potential targets for future research on creativity enhancement in college students.