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Background: Creativity and responsibility are enhanced by meditation among adults, but such effects have not been studied in adolescents. Moreover, the determinants of the ethical effect (such as responsibility) of meditation are unclear. Aims: To address this gap by investigating the impact of digital in-class meditation programmes in middle school, focusing on intentions (self-centred vs. responsibility-centred), on adolescents' creative potential and sense of responsibility. These intentions are operationalized by different purpose-based meditations. Methods: We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial involving 107 year 7 adolescents from six classes, assigning them to two experimental groups and an active control group. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted over an 11-week period, including a creativity (EPoC) test comprising four exercises (graphic and verbal, divergent and convergent thinking), a responsibility and a mindfulness scale. Results: Our findings revealed no discernible effects on divergent thinking or self-reported mindfulness. However, we observed significant differences in graphic and verbal convergent creative thinking, as well as impacting responsibility scores, between a responsibility-centred meditation group and a self-centred meditation group. Moreover, distinctions were noted between control and self-centred meditation groups and between some classes. Effect sizes indicated that the interventions had a moderate but significant impact on the variables measured. Conclusion: Our study reveals the effectiveness of digital meditation interventions in enhancing convergent creative thinking and responsibility among middle-school students. Notably, it shed new light on the importance of meditation intentions, which may be as significant as the form of meditation itself.

Education today is evolving to foster essential psychosocial skills like creativity, critical thinking, and responsibility, equipping students for 21st-century challenges. However, it is crucial to examine the motivations driving these changes and their alignment with broader societal goals beyond merely economic interests. This article explores the ethical dimensions of creativity, recognizing its potential for both positive innovation and harm. It emphasizes the neutrality of creativity and the importance of evaluating the intentions and consequences behind creative acts, not just their outcomes. We introduce and define the concept of ''responsible creativity,'' characterized by the ability to generate original ideas, behaviors, or objects while considering the moral and legal repercussions of one's actions, both in the present and future. This concept is anchored in the ethics of conviction and responsibility, promoting a fundamental commitment to avoid harm and enhance well-being. Our model of responsible creativity incorporates qualities such as benevolence, flexibility, positivity, reliability, accountability, reflexivity, and wisdom. We advocate for nurturing this type of creativity in educational settings through innovative approaches such as board and video games, philosophy workshops, wisdom education, and mindfulness meditation. These pedagogical methods aim to cultivate future leaders who are ethically aware and capable of using their creativity to positively impact society and the environment. By navigating the interplay of creativity and ethics, this article provides valuable insights and practical guidance for educators and policymakers striving to create a more ethically conscious and innovative educational landscape.

After his 1944 thesis, Asperger continued to write about autism, but none of these texts have been translated. At a time when autism spectrum disorder faces many challenges (e.g. the nature and measurement of autism), this text tells us more about the particular population that Asperger worked with. He describes sensitive, intelligent, creative and rational children, a far cry from the Wing triad. Moreover, 'Asperger's Syndrome' was introduced after he had died, was included in the DSM-IV in 1994 and was omitted from the DSM-5 in 2013. The question posed by this last text, written before his death, is whether Asperger's descriptions of autistic children are really part of the autism spectrum disorder or whether they are outside the pathological field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]