The Relative Contribution of Higher-Order Thinking in Predicting Psychological Hardiness of University Students

Mohamed Sayed Mohamed Abdellatif,Mervat Azmy Zaki Abdel-Gawad

doi:10.5539/ass.v16n8p68

Abstract

Higher order thinking skills include critical, logical, reflective, metacognitive, and creative thinking. They are activated when individuals encounter unfamiliar problems, uncertainties, questions, or dilemmas. They play an important role in developing University students to encounter any stressful situations. This study aims at identifying the extent to which higher-order thinking degrees contribute to predicting the psychological hardiness of university students and at identifying the differences between males and females in higher-order thinking skills and psychological hardiness The higher order thinking scale (prepared by the researchers) and the psychological hardiness scale (by Mukhaimar, 1996) were completed by (485) male and female Minia University students. The current research adopted the descriptive research approach. According to the statistical analysis, results revealed that there was a statistically significant positive relationship between higher-order thinking and psychological hardiness among the study sample and there were no statistically significant differences between males and females in higher-order thinking. In addition, higher-order thinking skills contributed holistically in predicting the psychological hardiness among the university students. This study recommended that higher order thinking skills should be an integral part of higher education. Lastly, this study offers specific suggestions for higher education stakeholders.

Highlights

1.1 BackgroundPsychological hardiness is a relatively recent term in the field of positive psychology that contributes to the individual's psychological and physical health when exposing to stressful events
This study aims at identifying the extent to which higher-order thinking degrees contribute to predicting the psychological hardiness of university students and at identifying the differences between males and females in higher-order thinking skills and psychological hardiness The higher order thinking scale and the psychological hardiness scale were completed by (485) male and female Minia University students
Results of Validating the first Hypothesis "Higher-order thinking degrees and dimensions contribute significantly to predicting the degrees of psychological hardiness of university students": to verify this hypothesis, the researchers conducted multiple regression analyses using the stepwise method of selection

Summary

Introduction

Psychological hardiness is a relatively recent term in the field of positive psychology that contributes to the individual's psychological and physical health when exposing to stressful events. It plays an effective role in recognizing difficult events and interpreting them positively, enhancing the individual's emotional maturity, and increasing his experience to face stressful situations (Maddi, 2013). Kobasa, Maddi, Paccetti & Zola (1985) stated that psychological hardiness is the personality pattern consisting of a set of interrelated attitudes that include commitment versus feeling alienated, controlling versus feeling helpless, and challenging versus feeling threatened, and these attitudes help the individual to cope with stressful events. Higher-order thinking skills include critical, creative, and reflective thinking skills, as well as many other related thinking skills such as logical and abstract thinking (Lipman, 1991; Newman, 1991)

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Results

Conclusion