Date of Award

5-2026

Access Control

Open Access

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Advisor

Dr. Susan Keller-Mathers

Department Home page

https://creativity.buffalostate.edu/

First Reader

Dr. Susan Keller-Mathers

Abstract

Telling a young adolescent to "be creative" doesn't always land the way adults hope. At a younger age, being told to be creative was easier because creativity was often effortless — erasers became dolls in a tissue box panorama, a pet was recruited as a co-investigator in a backyard mystery hunt, and wacky on-the-spot rules transformed a boring board game into an epic quest. But as young teens become aware that creativity is a highly valued skill for 21st century work and life, that awareness can feel like pressure — arriving precisely at a time when many adolescents are transitioning from childhood imaginative play toward more complex, adult forms of creative thinking.

Though creative thinking has been identified as one of the top essential skills for the future (World Economic Forum, 2025), not every teen is ready to take up that challenge. As Amabile (1998) observed, the social environment of school might suppress the intrinsic motivation that fuels creative confidence — leaving some young people to feel uncertain about using their creativity as it is mixed with complex and self-conscious forms of creative thinking. At the same time, other young teens are rapidly discovering and expanding their creative interests across many domains, eager to develop new skills. Wherever students are in their creative development, most will benefit from deepening their understanding of creativity and strengthening their confidence in their own creative abilities.

Imaginatude! was created in response to exactly this need — a program designed to meet young adolescents where they are in their creative journey and help them discover, value, and grow the creative abilities they already carry. Central to this growth are three interconnected elements of creative self-beliefs: (Karwowski et al., 2019): creative self-efficacy — students' beliefs in their own creative capabilities; creative motivation — their inner drive to engage in and sustain creative effort; and creative mindset — their openness to possibility, willingness to take creative risks, and capacity to see challenges as opportunities for growth.

This report describes the development of Imaginatude!, a series of six creativity sessions designed for middle school students to participate in an informal learning setting— a context that Larson (2000) identified as uniquely suited to building the skills, identity, and intrinsic motivation that formal schooling often cannot provide. Each session is designed to build participants' knowledge about creativity while engaging them in creative activities through storytelling, improv, and creative thinking skill development experiences — all led by skilled facilitators. Woven throughout is an intentional emphasis on mindfulness, self-compassion, and positive psychology practices to support both students' well-being and their creative growth.

Download

Share

COinS