The bidirectional relationship between critical thinking and academic achievement is independent of general cognitive ability: A three-year longitudinal study on elementary school children

IF 9 1区心理学 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, EDUCATIONAL

Learning and Individual Differences Pub Date : 2025-03-08 DOI:10.1016/j.lindif.2025.102666

Xiaojing Lv, Jiabi Zhou, Xuezhu Ren

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This three-year longitudinal study investigated the dynamic interplay between critical thinking skills and academic achievement as reflected in subject-specific knowledge in upper elementary students over time, also considering the covariate of general cognitive ability. The sample consisted of 160 fourth-grade students. Using the random intercept cross-lagged panel model, results indicated a moderately positive correlation between critical thinking skills and academic achievement at the between-person level. At the within-person level, both academic achievement and critical thinking skills positively predicted each other, and the predictive strength is not significantly different. Moreover, these cross-lagged relationships demonstrated stability even after controlling for general cognitive ability. These results suggest a bidirectional predictive relationship between critical thinking skills and academic achievement, enriching the theoretical discourse on their interaction and providing insights for educational interventions aimed at enhancing students' critical thinking skills.

Educational relevance statement

The research demonstrates that critical thinking skills and academic achievement maintain a bidirectional predictive relationship, which operates independently of general cognitive ability. The results inspire educators to consciously cultivate children's critical thinking skills while teaching them domain knowledge. It is recommended that educators incorporate the cultivation of critical thinking skills into routine curriculum design and instructional practices to adequately support both the cognitive development and knowledge expansion needs of students.

The bidirectional relationship between critical thinking skills and academic achievement is independent of general cognitive ability: A three-year longitudinal study on elementary school children.

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批判性思维与学业成绩的双向关系是独立于一般认知能力的：一项针对小学生的三年纵向研究

这项为期三年的纵向研究考察了小学高年级学生批判性思维技能与学业成绩之间的动态相互作用，并考虑了一般认知能力的协变量。样本包括160名四年级学生。使用随机截距交叉滞后面板模型，结果表明批判性思维技能与学业成绩在人际水平上呈中等正相关。在人际层面上，学业成就与批判性思维能力相互正向预测，预测强度无显著差异。此外，即使在控制了一般认知能力之后，这些交叉滞后关系也表现出了稳定性。这些结果表明批判性思维技能与学业成绩之间存在双向预测关系，丰富了它们相互作用的理论论述，并为旨在提高学生批判性思维技能的教育干预提供了见解。教育相关性陈述研究表明，批判性思维技能和学业成就保持着一种双向预测关系，这种关系独立于一般认知能力。研究结果启发教育工作者在教授领域知识的同时，有意识地培养儿童的批判性思维能力。建议教育工作者将批判性思维技能的培养纳入日常课程设计和教学实践中，以充分支持学生的认知发展和知识扩展需求。批判性思维技能与学业成绩的双向关系是独立于一般认知能力的：一项针对小学生的三年纵向研究。

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来源期刊

Learning and Individual Differences PSYCHOLOGY, EDUCATIONAL-

CiteScore

6.60

自引率

2.80%

发文量

期刊介绍： Learning and Individual Differences is a research journal devoted to publishing articles of individual differences as they relate to learning within an educational context. The Journal focuses on original empirical studies of high theoretical and methodological rigor that that make a substantial scientific contribution. Learning and Individual Differences publishes original research. Manuscripts should be no longer than 7500 words of primary text (not including tables, figures, references).