유아의 놀이성과 자아존중감이 창의적 인성에 미치는 영향

The Impact of Young Children's Playfulness and Self-Esteem on Creative Personality

Objective: This study aims to examine the impact of young children’s playfulness and self-esteem on their creative personality. Methods: The sample consisted of 332 four- and five-year-old children enrolled in kindergartens and daycare centers in Incheon. Teacher-report measures of playfulness, self-esteem, and creative personality scales were used for data collection instruments. The collected data were analyzed using t-test, analysis of variance, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Results: Firstly, significant differences were found in all variables based on children's gender, while age and birth order did not show statistically significant differences. Secondly, young children’s playfulness and self-esteem were found to have a positive impact on their creative personality. Specifically, among the sub-variables, cognitive spontaneity and humor in playfulness, along with competency in self-esteem, showed relatively higher levels of impact on young children’s creative personality. Conclusion/Implications: The study findings emphasize the necessity of comprehensive support systems that foster playfulness and self-esteem to enhance young children’s creative personality. This includes providing proper teacher training and a range of instructional materials, along with parental education.