The development and validation of a critical thinking disposition scale for high school students

This study develops and validates a Critical Thinking Disposition (CTD) scale specifically designed for Chinese high school students, addressing the need for assessment tools tailored to this particular demographic. Anchored in Facione's seven-dimensional framework and previous conceptual research, the study employed a rigorous three-phase process-item development, pilot testing, and final validation-using two convenience samples to examine the scale's psychometric properties. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses refined the instrument into a five-dimensional structure: Systematic-analyticity, Open-mindedness, Confidence in Reasoning, Reflective Skepticism, and Truth-seeking. The final model demonstrated optimal fit indices (χ²/df = 2.173, CFI = 0.964, RMSEA = 0.043), confirming its structural stability. In addition, convergent and discriminant validity were supported by Average Variance Extracted (AVE), Composite Reliability (CR), and the Fornell-Larcker criterion. At the same time, internal consistency was evidenced by robust Cronbach's α (0.881) and McDonald's ω (0.908) values for the overall scale. Multi-group CFA further established measurement invariance across gender (ΔCFI <0.01, ΔRMSEA <0.015). Overall, the scale provides a reliable and theoretically grounded instrument for assessing CTD in secondary education contexts, enabling educators to evaluate the CTD of high school students comprehensively.