Dispositional critical thinking, positive youth development, and social contribution in Spanish emerging adults

Dispositional critical thinking has been linked to positive performance in different life domains, such as better academic performance and professional practice, as well as better psychological adjustment. This study had the aim to examine the associations between positive youth development, dispositional critical thinking, and social contribution in a sample of Spanish undergraduates and to test the mediational role of the 5Cs of positive youth development (i.e., confidence, competence, caring, character, and connection) in the relationship between dispositional critical thinking and social contribution. A cross-sectional study was conducted during the spring of 2024 by administering an online self-report. The sample comprised 370 students (67.2% women) aged from 18 to 29 (M = 21.29; SD = 3.61) enrolled at 10 universities in the region of Andalusia (Spain). The results showed a multiple partial mediation of character and caring in the relationship between dispositional critical thinking and social contribution. This model indicated that dispositional critical thinking was associated with more character and caring, and, in turn, these dimensions of positive youth development were associated with more social contribution. These results underline the need to promote dispositional critical thinking and the positive youth development components of character and caring to increase social contribution in undergraduate students.