Developmental Trends in the Creativity of School-Age Children

Abstract

Longitudinal studies on the development of creativity tend to focus on assessing the creative abilities of elementary school students. Most studies found variations in the 4th-grade creativity slump based on the type and emphasis of the assessment tool. This longitudinal study explored the developmental trends in creativity from the proposed 4th-grade slump through beginning adolescence in the 9th grade. Data were gathered on 25 students in the 4th, 6th, and 9th grades. A measure of divergent thinking and divergent feeling was used to assess both the cognitive and affective processes related to creative production. The study found indications of significant differences in creativity related to divergent feeling and grade.