Sandra W. Russ, PhD

Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, Sandra Russ is one of the foremost researchers on pretend play, creativity, and emotional development in children. Her programme of research has demonstrated that the quality of children's pretend play — particularly the richness of affect and fantasy in play — is a reliable predictor of creativity, coping flexibility, and emotional wellbeing. She has developed validated measures of pretend play and conducted longitudinal studies tracking play's influence into adulthood. Her work on play-based interventions shows that children's play abilities can be enhanced with lasting benefits for creative thinking and emotional health.

Most Influential Work

Pretend Play in Childhood: Foundation of Adult Creativity (APA, 2014)

Affect and Creativity: The Role of Affect and Play in the Creative Process (1993)