IMPACT OF CHESS TRAINING ON CREATIVITY AND INTELLIGENCE
- Ebenezer Joseph, EMMANUEL CHESS CENTRE DST PROJECT, EMMANUEL CHESS CENTRE, CHENNAI, India
- Veena Easvaradoss, DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY, WCC, CHENNAI, India
- David Chandran, EMMANUEL CHESS CENTRE DST PROJECT, EMMANUEL CHESS CENTRE, CHENNAI, India
- Suneera Abraham, EMMANUEL CHESS CENTRE DST PROJECT, EMMANUEL CHESS CENTRE, CHENNAI, India
AbstractResearch using short-term chess training programs has indicated an enhancement of cognitive functioning among children. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of 1-year systematic chess training on the creativity and intelligence of children. A pretest–posttest with control group design was used. Children who were studying in two government schools and two private schools (grades 3–9) were selected randomly. They were then randomly assigned to experimental and control groups, with 88 (50 boys, 38 girls) children in the experimental group and 90 (57 boys, 33 girls) children in the control group. The experimental group underwent weekly 1-hour chess training for 1 year, while the control group was actively involved in extracurricular activities offered by the school during the same period. Creativity was measured by Wallach–Kogan Creativity Test (Indian adaptation) and intelligence was measured by subtests of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children: Fourth edition (WISC-IV), India. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed significant improvement in total creativity and Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) for experimental group compared to the control group. Chess training as part of school activities appears to have a wide spectrum of outcomes.