“Looking inward,” creativity, and well-being: an SEM analysis of self-reflective rumination and creative self-efficacy as pathways linking self-beliefs in creativity and well-being in college students

Building on prior evidence linking self-reflective rumination to creativity, and given the well-established association between creativity and well-being, the present cross-sectional study examined associations between self-reflective rumination and self-beliefs in creativity and well-being (SBCW), with specific attention to the potential indirect role of creative self-efficacy. A large sample of Chinese college students ( N = 1993) completed validated questionnaires assessing self-reflective rumination, SBCW (encompassing short-term and long-term dimensions), and creative self-efficacy. Structural equation modeling indicated that self-reflective rumination was significantly and positively associated with short-term SBCW. Furthermore, creative self-efficacy demonstrated a significant indirect association between self-reflective rumination and SBCW across both temporal dimensions, suggesting that constructive self-reflection correlates with stronger beliefs in the positive association between creativity and well-being. These findings highlight robust correlational patterns involving self-reflective rumination, creativity-related beliefs, and psychological well-being. The results also suggest that creative self-efficacy may be concurrently linked to reflective cognitive processes alongside creative behavior. The present study further supports the Creative-Being Model, which conceptualizes self-reflection, creativity, and well-being as interconnected components of human flourishing.