Introduction This study investigates how inclusive co-creation functions as a psychologically grounded pedagogical mechanism in AI-supported design education, with a focus on the developmental relationships among self-worth, creative competence, and creative self-efficacy. Methods A pre–post instructional intervention was conducted with 98 undergraduate students over an 8-week course integrating AI literacy, co-creation with artworks produced by adults with Down syndrome, and a public exhibition. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results The findings support a sequential developmental model in which self-worth significantly predicts post-intervention creative competence, which in turn predicts creative self-efficacy. Stability effects were observed across constructs, and post-intervention relationships were strengthened, indicating increased psychological coherence. Discussion The results suggest that inclusive co-creation operates as a human-centered pedagogical mechanism that reinforces creative agency and mitigates cognitive offloading associated with generative AI. This study contributes a theoretically grounded and empirically validated model for integrating inclusive practice into AI-supported design education.
Chen et al. (Tue,) studied this question.