Science, Education and Innovations in the Context of Modern Problems

Authors and Affiliations

Largot Aicha
University of El Oued
Algeria
E-mail: largotaicha@gmail.com

Benhacine Younes
University of El Oued
Algeria
E-mail: benhacine-younes@univ-eloued.dz

Lehelli Mesbah
University of El Oued
Algeria
E-mail: lehelli-mesbah@univ-eloued.dz

Benbordi Souad
University of El Oued, Social Development and Community Service Laboratory
Algeria
E-mail: benbordi-souad@univ-eloued.dz

Bellamouchi Abderrazak
University of El Oued, Social Development and Community Service Laboratory
Algeria
E-mail: bellamouchi-abderrazak@univ-eloued.dz

Mohammed Salah Djalab
University of El Oued, Cognitive and Social Neuropsychology Laboratory
Algeria
E-mail: djalab-mohammedsalah@univ-eloued.dz

Keywords

Creative thinking Preschool education Early childhood development Cognitive development Gender differences Parental educational level Educational psychology

Abstract

Creative thinking is increasingly recognized as a fundamental cognitive competence that contributes to children’s intellectual flexibility, problem-solving capacity, and future academic adaptation. Early childhood education environments play a critical role in fostering these abilities, particularly during the preschool years, which represent a sensitive developmental stage for cognitive and creative growth. The present study investigates differences in creative thinking among preschool children according to gender and parents’ educational level in the preschool class at Mihi Mohamed Belhadj School in El Oued, Algeria. The study employed a comparative descriptive research design involving 26 preschool children aged between 5 and 6 years. Data were collected using Mansi’s Creative Thinking Scale (1991), which evaluates originality, flexibility, fluency, and imaginative expression. Statistical analysis was conducted using independent-samples t-tests to examine group differences. The findings revealed statistically significant differences in creative thinking associated with both gender and parental educational level. Male participants demonstrated higher mean scores in creative thinking, while children from highly educated family backgrounds achieved significantly greater creative thinking scores than those from lower educational backgrounds. The study highlights the importance of supportive educational and family environments in enhancing children’s creative potential during early childhood. It further emphasizes the need for educational programs that encourage exploratory learning, imagination, cognitive flexibility, and creative expression regardless of gender or socio-economic background.

How to Cite

Largot, A., Benhacine, Y., Lehelli, M., Benbordi, S., Bellamouchi, A., & Djalab, M. S. (2026). Creative Thinking among Preschool Children: A Comparative Cognitive-Developmental Analysis Based on Gender and Parental Educational Background in Early Childhood Education. Science, Education and Innovations in the Context of Modern Problems, 9(8), 1–14.

Publication History

Open Access and Licensing

© 2026 The Author(s).

Published by Science, Education and Innovations in the Context of Modern Problems (SEI) under the auspices of IMCRA – International Meetings and Conferences Research Association (Azerbaijan).

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, adaptation, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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