Performance and Perception of Creativity and Academic Achievement in Elementary School Students: A Normal Mixture Modeling Study

Abstract

Creativity can be assessed using various methods, including divergent thinking performance, self-ratings, and teacher ratings. However, these measures may not always align, as they may not consistently identify creative potential in the same manner. The present study aimed to identify latent subgroups of students based on their observed originality, creative self-efficacy, teacher-rated originality, academic achievement in reading and mathematics, and demographic background characteristics. Data were collected from 243 elementary school students. We applied the normal mixture technique to classify participants into latent subgroups. Five latent subgroups of students were identified: Overconfident Low Performers, Creative High Achievers, Under-Confident Below-Average Achievers, Mathematically Oriented Students, and Calibrated Above-Average Achievers. Female students tended to fall disproportionately into the subgroup of Creative High Achievers. Students receiving free/reduced lunch had a lower probability of being Creative High Achievers. Special education students had a higher probability of falling into the subgroup Overconfident Low Performers. Teacher ratings of students' originality were more in line with student academic performance rather than with their performance-based originality scores. Students' self-ratings of creativity bifurcated across subgroups, with Creative High Achievers and Overconfident Low Performers reporting the highest self-ratings of originality, despite displaying very different levels of performance on the divergent thinking assessment.