The association between AI literacy and creative self-efficacy: a moderated mediation model of learning adaptability and teacher support

Abstract

Background As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into education, fostering student creativity is a critical priority. While prior research suggests a positive link between AI literacy and creative self-efficacy, the underlying psychological mechanisms and key contextual factors remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to address this gap by examining the mediating roles of learning adaptability (cognitive, behavioral, and emotional) and the moderating role of teacher support in this relationship. Methods A total of 509 university engineering students (68.6% male; M age = 19.36 years) participated in a survey. They completed validated measures of AI literacy, learning adaptability, teacher support, and creative self-efficacy. A moderated mediation model was tested using statistical analysis. Results The findings indicated a significant positive association between AI literacy and creative self-efficacy. This relationship was significantly mediated by behavioral and emotional adaptability, but not by cognitive adaptability. Furthermore, teacher support moderated the positive effect of AI literacy on emotional adaptability; this effect was stronger for students who perceived higher levels of teacher support. Conclusion The study advances a nuanced model demonstrating that AI literacy enhances creative confidence primarily by fostering a willingness to act (behavioral adaptability) and bolstering emotional resilience (emotional adaptability). Teacher support is identified as a crucial contextual resource that amplifies this positive process. These findings offer valuable insights for educators and policymakers aiming to design interventions that maximize the creative potential of AI in learning environments.