Abstract
In recent years, there has been a significant focus in psychology research on exploring creativity and divergent thinking (DT) among college students. However, limited empirical research exists on the relationship between parenting style, personality traits, and divergent thinking among middle school students. This research aims to address this gap by investigating how parenting style and personality influence adolescents’ divergent thinking (DT), particularly among those attending different types of schools. The study involved 116 participants, comprising 53.4% males and 46.6% females. These participants were 7th and 8th grade students aged 12 and 13 from different schools, including the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), government schools, and matriculation schools from Tamil Nadu, India. The research used a descriptive cross-sectional study with a simple random sampling technique, and the data was collected by standardized psychometric questionnaires such as Sharma’s Divergent Production Abilities Test, Standard Progressive Matrices, the Big Five Personality Inventory, and the Perceived Parenting Style Scale. The findings indicate that there is a significant connection between parenting style and personality. In addition, students from CBSE schools achieved higher scores in DT compared to students from matriculation and government schools. Ultimately, educational institutions have the opportunity to cultivate their students’ personal and professional development by promoting DT in classroom settings. However, this study has revealed complex findings that require thorough examination.
Keywords: Adolescents, Divergent thinking, Parenting style, Personality, Schools.