<p>Although previous studies have indicated a positive creative mindsets-creativity association, they have largely overlooked the role of underlying motivation. Based on the AMORAL Model of dark creativity and the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat, this study examined whether creative mindsets predicted lower malevolent creativity (creative ideas intended to cause harm) through the sequential mediating roles of self-esteem and depression. Using a cross-sectional design, a total of 913 Chinese junior middle school students completed validated self-report measures of creative mindset, self-esteem, depression, and malevolent creativity. SPSS 25.0 was used to test the hypothesized chain mediation model. Results showed that creative mindsets not only directly predicted malevolent creativity (<i>β</i> = -0.10, 95% CI = [-0.17, -0.03]), but also had indirect effects through three pathways. Specifically, creative mindsets could predict malevolent creativity through self-esteem (<i>β</i> = -0.04, 95% CI = [-0.06, -0.01]), depression (<i>β</i> = -0.08, 95% CI = [-0.12, -0.05]), and their sequential pathway (<i>β</i> = -0.03, 95% CI = [-0.05, -0.02]). These indirect effects accounted for 60.41% of the total effect. These findings extend the creative mindset literature into the negative domain of creativity and highlight self-esteem and depression as key mechanisms. Practically, interventions fostering creative mindsets and mental health may help reduce malevolent creativity among adolescents.</p>