Assessment of the psychometric properties of the Vietnamese version of the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale

Abstract

Background: The Critical Thinking Disposition Scale is a valid and reliable tool for assessing an individual's attitudes towards critical thinking. However, it is unclear if the scale can be used with Vietnamese nursing students.

Objectives: This study aimed to translate the scale into Vietnamese and examine the psychometric properties of the Vietnamese version of the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale (CTDS-V).

Settings: Data were collected from senior nursing students at four universities in southern Vietnam in October and December 2022.

Participants: In total, 398 senior nursing students participated in this study.

Methods: A cross-cultural adaptation of the CTDS-V was carried out with participants obtained through convenience sampling. Data were collected through an online survey. The study evaluated the validity of the CTDS-V by examining the content validity, concurrent validity, and construct validity, employing both Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses. The study also reported the internal consistency reliability using Cronbach's alpha and test-retest stability of the CTDS-V.

Results: The CTDS-V had a good content validity index with a score of at least 0.85 for each item and an excellent overall content validity index of 0.96. Exploratory Factor Analysis identified two factors, critical openness, and reflective scepticism, with 11 items. Confirmatory Factor Analysis provided an acceptable fit model and supported the factor structure of the original scale. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the scale was 0.88, and those of the two subscales were each 0.84. The test-retest stability of the CTDS-V was good with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.98 (95 % confidence interval = 0.96, 0.99).

Conclusions: This study indicated that the CTDS-V is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the critical thinking disposition of nursing students. The scale is short, rendering it feasible for regular use in education and research.

Keywords: Critical thinking; Nursing student; Psychometric properties; Reliability; Validity.