Disposition, critical thinking skills and academic success in university students: meta-analysis

Abstract

Introduction: critical thinking is among the main soft skills related to academic success and highly demanded in the workplace. The objective was to make a meta-analysis of observational studies on the relationship between disposition, critical thinking skills and academic success in university students. Methods: a systematic review with meta-analysis of random effects following the guidelines for observational studies. Searches were conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus and Cochrane Library. The methodological quality was evaluated with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale version. Heterogeneity was estimated, Cochran's Q test was used, the publication bias with the funnel plot and Begg’s test. Were performed sensitivity analyzes and forest plot diagrams. Results: 6756 studies were identified, 32 corresponded to the inclusion criteria with 4962 participants, 30 were meta-analyzed. Critical thinking and academic success were positively correlated: r=.26 (CI: 95%; .18-.34) (p=.00), with a high statistical heterogeneity (I²=86.5%). In the subgroup analysis, significant differences were observed for the following moderators: specialty Q=42.86 (p=.00), number of dimensions Q=31.83 (p=.00), instruments Q=56.01 (p=.00), dimensions evaluated Q=25.09 (p=.00). Discussion: the magnitude of the correlation was weak and affected by moderators such as the study specialty, the instrument used, the evaluation of skills versus dispositions and the number of dimensions evaluated.