| dc.description.abstract | Researchers have conducted numerous studies examining the effects of one?s home life on
future success; however, only a small portion of that research covers the specific effects
that negative home environments can have on adult creativity. Seeing a close relationship
between upbringing and the creative mind, one can infer that childhood abuse has a
significant influence on an adult?s ability to reach high levels of creative achievement.
Experiencing abuse at an early age inhibits feelings of psychological safety and may limit
creative potential as well. Researchers who have conducted studies in this area have found
mixed results on the relationship between child abuse and creativity. To explore this topic,
each participant was given the Abbreviated Torrance Test for Adults. This test measures
four aspects of creativity: fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration. Each
participant was also given the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), which provided
a quantitative measure of abuse experiences for each individual. The study hypothesized
that individuals who score higher on the CTQ will score lower on the Abbreviated Torrance
Test for Adults. Although the results were not statistically significant, they supported the
hypothesis that measures of abuse were negatively correlated with creativity scores. Having
identified a relationship between abuse and creativity, experts in the field of creativity
should conduct further studies to deepen the understanding of how abusive environments discourage creative production. | en |
