Measuring an interplay of growth mindsets and creative self-efficacy in shaping student creativity: Empirical evidence from PISA-Thailand

Creative thinking is a vital skill for contemporary youth, especially in developing nations, where fostering innovation is crucial for navigating the middle-income trap. This study examines how a growth mindset and creative self-efficacy collectively influence creative thinking among students in Thailand as a case study for developing nations, using nationally representative data from the PISA 2022 assessment (N=8495). Our findings indicate that students with a growth mindset, particularly a creative growth mindset, achieve significantly higher creative thinking scores (4.3-8.9% higher) than their fixed-mindset peers. Furthermore, students with high creative self-efficacy score 9.2% higher. Applying the Integrated Constraints in Creativity (IConIC) model and the Creative Learning Process framework, we find that while higher socioeconomic status acts as a prerequisite for these mindsets to flourish, environmental factors such as large school and class sizes paradoxically serve as "focusing constraints" that provide necessary scaffolding for creative approaches. This suggests that a positive attitude alone is insufficient; it must be supported by an equitable and structured educational environment. Based on these insights, we propose policy recommendations for comprehensive educational reform, including constraint-leveraging teacher development and initiatives aimed at reducing educational inequality to foster the equitable development of creative thinking.