An investigative study of critical thinking disposition in pediatric professional graduate students
Objective To investigate the critical thinking disposition of pediatric professional graduate students and the influencing factors,and to put forward suggestions for teaching improvement.Methods In this cross-sectional study,we administered the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory-Chinese Version(CTDI-CV)through an online survey tool(Wenjuanxing)to pediatric professional graduate students rotating in the Department of Critical Care Medicine of Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from September 2022 to August 2023.CTDI-CV scores were described as mean±standard deviation.The distribution of critical thinking disposition scores was analyzed using the t test,F test,trend analysis,and simple linear regression analysis with the use of SPSS 23.0.Results A total of 130 usable questionnaires were returned.The overall mean CTDI-CV score of the pediatric graduate students was(235.76±30.73).The CTDI-CV score was significantly lower in male students than in female students[(224.40±28.50)vs.(242.86±30.08),P=0.001].The students of the integrated"5+3"program scored significantly higher than the graduate students recruited through the national unified examination[(244.18±30.33)vs.(232.02±30.32),P=0.037].The CTDI-CV scores of the first-,second-,and third-year graduate students were(219.79±37.41),(229.21±27.19),and(254.77±18.97),respectively,showing a significant upward trend(H=30.34,P<0.000 1).Among all attributes,the score for truth-seeking in all students was highest(39.52±6.86),while the score for confidence in reasoning was lowest(28.65±7.23).Female students scored significantly higher than male students in truth-seeking(P=0.027),open-mindedness(P=0.025),analyticity(P=0.031),systematicity(P=0.016),confidence in reasoning(P=0.005),and cognitive maturity(P=0.013),with no significant difference in inquisitiveness(P=0.073).Conclusions Most pediatric graduate students exhibit diversified or somewhat little inclination towards critical thinking,with a willingness to seek truth but low confidence in critical thinking.Female students,those in the integrated"5+3"program,and upper-level students are more likely to have critical thinking.These findings underscore the need for more effective teaching methods to foster critical thinking.