The role of thinking and problem-solving dispositions on the academic achievement of Turkish language teacher candidates

Abstract In this research, psychometric variables influencing the academic achievement of Turkish language teacher candidates were examined. In this context, the study aimed to understand the impact of variables believed to be related—such as problem-solving, critical thinking, creative thinking, and academic self-efficacy—on academic achievement, as well as the relationships among these latent variables. A total of 368 volunteer Turkish language teacher candidates from different universities participated in this study conducted in Turkey, and structural equation modeling was employed for data analysis. The study, conducted with four different measurement tools, included validity and reliability studies for the scales. Additionally, correlation values between the scales’ structures were provided. The analysis results revealed a positive and significant relationship between participants’ problem-solving skills, critical and creative thinking tendencies, and academic self-efficacy. Furthermore, a significantly high correlation was observed among these psychometric variables.