Ethnicity, creative identity, creative process, and adversity in college and community samples

Abstract

This study (N = 524) examined ethnicity, creative identity, adversity, and creative processing. In this cross-sectional Institutional Review Board approved college and community study, five self-report measures were completed: a biographical screener, Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire, Experience of Creativity Questionnaire, Short Scale of Creative Self, and Traumatic Event Questionnaire. Four major ethnicity groups were compared: Black (14%), Asian (22%), White (38%), Latinx (25%). Cumulative traumatic events, creative personal identity, creative self-efficacy, and most creative processing variables were similar across the four ethnicity groups. The experiential creative process, distinct experience, was significantly higher in the Black and Asian groups compared to the White group. Findings related to specific childhood adversity and adult traumatic experiences indicated the likelihood of different group membership, with the Black group experiencing higher rates of childhood physical abuse, physical neglect, parental separation, family member incarcerated, witnessing a traumatic event, and in danger of losing their lives. The White group had a higher prevalence rate of a family member struggling with substance abuse and suffering a mental illness. The Asian group had more likelihood of experiencing childhood emotional abuse. A unique finding in this study was that the experiential creative process, power and pleasure predicted creative self-efficacy, and the centrality of the creative process predicted creative personal identity. Ethnicity and cumulative trauma were not significant predictors for creative self-efficacy and creative personal identity. Engaging in creative activities may promote well-being and provide a platform to reduce inequalities. The creative self was not limited by adversity or ethnicity.