Abstract

ALENCAR, Eunice M.L. Soriano de  and  FLEITH, Denise de Souza. Barriers to personal creativity among elementary to higher education teachers. Psicol. Reflex. Crit. [online]. 2003, vol.16, n.1, pp. 63-69. ISSN 0102-7972.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-79722003000100007.

This study investigated different types of barriers to the expression of personal creativity among 544 elementary to higher education teachers. The Personal Creativity Barriers Inventory, designed and validated by the first author, was used to collect the data. This instrument includes items related to four types of barriers: Inhibition/Shyness, Lack of Time/Opportunity, Social Repression, and Lack of Motivation. Significant differences were found between male and female teachers in Social Repression, and among teachers from different grade levels in the barriers named Inhibition/Shyness and Social Repression. The results indicate different barriers that refer directly or indirectly to the motives, means, and opportunities for personal creativity expression, suggesting the need for strategies that increase the possibilities of teachers' creative expression.

Keywords : Creativity; teachers; barriers.