Active procrastination incubates more creative thinking: The sequential mediating effect of personal mastery and creative self-concept

Many studies have suggested that procrastination can result in negative effects, such as anxiety and decline in academic performance; however, procrastination can be either active or passive. This study explored the serial mediation effect of personal mastery and creative self- concept in the correlation between active procrastination and creative thinking. A sample of 536 participants was asked to complete a series of questionnaires. The results demonstrated that creative self-concept played a mediating role in the correlation between active procrastination and creative thinking. Moreover, personal mastery and creative self-concept serially mediated the association between active procrastination and creative thinking. This study identified the critical factors associated with creative thinking and provided a reference for educators' interventions for improving students' creativity.