Steering clear from ‘lost in translation’ : cross-cultural translation, adaptation, and validation of critical thinking mindset self-rating form to university students

Abstract

Critical Thinking is a transversal skill needed to face current and future challenges, longed for in school, work, and life. Paradoxically, such relevance does not always translate into tangible efforts to measure and promote it. We present the cross-cultural translation, adaptation, and validation process of Critical Thinking Mindset Self-Rating Form to Portuguese university students. This study followed three phases: translation and adaptation of the form to Portuguese; a pilot study using the think-aloud technique, to assure the form’s comprehensibility and accuracy; a second pilot study to validate that preliminary version. According to results, the translation showed validity and reliability. In the long-run, this version may be used by teachers as a formative assessment tool, to show university students what is their general disposition towards thinking critically and, from there, to create opportunities for reflection and transformation, thus contributing to the realization of Critical Thinking in the classroom and in campus.