Affective Entry Characteristics Towards Mathematics and Reflective Thinking Skills Towards Problem Solving: The Mediating Role of Critical Thinking

The examination of thinking skills has become a contemporary and imperative focus within educational research, capturing considerable attention from scholars. The present study endeavors to explore the mediating role of critical thinking tendency in the correlation between affective entry characteristics toward mathematics and reflective thinking skills related to problem-solving. This study was designed as quantitative research under the cross-sectional survey research design. The sample comprises 649 middle school students, with data collected through the Affective Entry Characteristics Towards Mathematics Scale, Critical Thinking Tendency Scale, and Reflective Thinking Skills Towards Problem Solving Scale, administered via an online survey platform. Mediation analyses were conducted. Results suggested statistically significant indirect associations among these constructs, with critical thinking tendency identified as a partial mediator between affective entry characteristics toward mathematics and reflective thinking skills for problem-solving. These findings suggest a complex interplay among these constructs, warranting further investigation in future studies.