Creative Potential and Creative Self-Belief: Measurement Invariance in Cross-Cultural Contexts

Cross-cultural studies on creativity, mainly focusing on the creative potential aspect (e.g., divergent thinking), are emerging in recent years. However, the creative self-belief (e.g., creative self-efficacy) aspect of creativity is under-researched cross-culturally. Moreover, studies that address the measurement invariance of creativity assessments to ensure the measures' sound psychometric properties cross-culturally are rare. Thus, we aimed to address (a) the measurement invariance and (b) the mean comparisons of divergent thinking and creative self-efficacy between American and Chinese adults in two studies. Study 1 investigated four divergent thinking (DT) tests (Line Meanings, Uses, Instances, and Consequences) between American (n = 341) and Chinese (n = 345) college students. Multi-group confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) for fluency-supported scalar invariance based on a three-factor model (removing one Instances item) and those on originality-supported partial scalar invariance (freeing Uses intercepts) based on a three-factor model. American respondents exhibited higher latent means on fluency and originality compared to their Chinese counterparts. Study 2 investigated a creative self-efficacy (CSE) scale between American (n = 302) and Chinese (n = 316) college students. Multi-group CFA supported scalar invariance based on a one-factor model (removing one item). Latent mean comparisons showed no difference in CSE across the two groups.