The Effectiveness of Critical Thinking Training on Working Memory, Cognitive Flexibility and Cognitive Emotion Regulation in Students

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of critical thinking training on working memory, cognitive flexibility, and cognitive emotion regulation in students.
 
A true-experimental pre-test-post-test design with a control group and follow-up was employed. The statistical population included all 12th-grade male students of Nikan School in one education district of Tehran during the 1400-1401 academic year. A total of 30 students were randomly selected using the available sampling method and assigned to either the experimental or control group (15 students per group). The experimental group received a 10-session critical thinking training program, with each session lasting 30 minutes. Participants completed the Working Memory Questionnaire (Daneman & Carpenter, 1980), the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (Dennis & Vander Wal, 2010), and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Garnefski et al., 2006) at three time points: pre-test, post-test, and one-month follow-up.
 
The results of a mixed factorial ANOVA indicated that critical thinking training significantly improved working memory, cognitive flexibility, and adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies while reducing maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (p < 0.05).
 
The findings suggest that teaching critical thinking skills enhances students' cognitive and emotional resources, thereby improving their cognitive and emotional regulation abilities. Strengthening mental capital and coping strategies through critical thinking training can contribute to better academic and psychological outcomes.