Initial psychometric validation of the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale for Indonesian university students

Critical thinking disposition is a key component of students’ reasoning and decision-making in higher education. However, validated instruments for assessing this construct in the Indonesian context remain limited. This study aimed to adapt the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale (CTDS) into Indonesian and to provide initial psychometric validation among university students. A total of 504 students from 24 universities across Indonesia participated in the study. Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis with Principal Axis Factoring and Direct Oblimin rotation. The results indicated adequate sampling suitability, with a high Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin value and a significant Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity. A two-factor structure emerged, explaining 53.94% of the total variance, and the 11-item scale demonstrated strong internal consistency. These findings provide initial evidence that the Indonesian version of the CTDS is a reliable instrument for assessing students’ critical thinking dispositions. However, the absence of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) limits the strength of the structural validation, and future research is recommended to further examine the scale using CFA and more diverse samples.