Executive functions mediate the association between bilingualism and creativity in preadolescents

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of several neurocognitive functions (executive functions, selective attention, and processing speed) as mediators in the relationship between bilingualism and creativity. The sample consisted of 224 preadolescent children, between 9 and 12 years old, residing in the Basque Country (Spain). Evaluation included neurocognitive and creativity tasks, and a linguistic proficiency questionnaire. The sample was divided into three groups depending on the level of bilingualism (low, medium, and high). Results showed a better performance on figural creativity tasks in the high level group compared to the medium and low level groups. Moreover, both the high and low level groups performed better in verbal creativity and executive functions compared to the medium-level group. Additionally, a mediational model showed that high and low bilingualism were related to higher executive functions and these, in turn, to higher verbal and figural creativity. These results suggest that the level of bilingualism is related to creativity through the mediation of executive functions. Furthermore, these findings indicate that a medium level of bilingualism is related to a worse cognitive performance. This is relevant for the educational field as it points out the importance of acquiring good competence in both languages.