Psychometric Validation and Multigroup Analysis of the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale (CTDS) in University Students

Magna Ruth Meregildo-Gómez; Lucy Angélica Yglesias-Alva*; Romy Kelly Mas-Sandoval; Velia Graciela Vera-Calmet; Haydee Mercedes Aguilar-Armas; Lucy Marisol Estrada-Yglesias

doi:10.36941/jesr-2025-0220

Authors

Magna Ruth Meregildo-Gómez Department of Education Sciences,National University of Trujillo, La Libertad, Peru
Lucy Angélica Yglesias-Alva* Department of Statistics, National University of Trujillo, La Libertad, Peru, *Corresponding author
Romy Kelly Mas-Sandoval Department of Education and Culture,National University of Santa, Chimbote, Ancash, Peru
Velia Graciela Vera-Calmet Department of Psychological Sciences,César Vallejo University, La Libertad, Peru
Haydee Mercedes Aguilar-Armas Department of Psychological Sciences,César Vallejo University, La Libertad, Peru
Lucy Marisol Estrada-Yglesias Professional School of Administration,National University of Trujillo, La Libertad, Peru

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36941/jesr-2025-0220

Keywords:

Confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory factor analysis, measurement invariance, metacognitive strategies, convergent validity.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to adapt and validate the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale (CTDS) in the Peruvian context, based on the model developed by Sosu (2013). A total of 1,195 university students (508 men and 687 women) from different professional schools participated in the study during the 2025-I semester. The adaptation followed international standards and was evaluated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, as well as a multigroup analysis that confirmed the equivalence of the scale between men and women, as well as between academic areas. A bibliometric analysis was also performed using Bibliometrix and VOSviewer, which allowed this study to be placed within the context of recent scientific production on critical thinking. The results show that the adapted CTDS is a valid and reliable instrument for use with Peruvian students, and that critical thinking has gone from being a historically neglected topic to becoming a priority in higher education worldwide.

Received: 02 September 2025 / Accepted: 17 October 2025 / Published: 05 November 2025