Relationship Between Sensory Processing Patterns and Critical Thinking in Students

Background: Sensory processing pattern is a unique characteristic in each human. Critical thinking is a well-known skill of successful individuals.Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the critical thinking skills and sensory processing patterns of students of Medical Sciences.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on ۲۱۳ students (۱۴۷ males and ۶۶ females). Brown’s Adolescent and Adult Sensory Profile Questionnaire and Ricketts’ Critical Thinking Questionnaire were used for data collection. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software (version ۲۴) and appropriate statistical tests (i.e., the Pearson correlation test and independent samples t-test).Results: Critical thinking had a significant positive relationship with sensory sensitivity (r=۰.۲۲۹) and a significant inverse relationship with sensory seeking (r=-۰.۲۴۹) and low registration (r=-۰.۲۲۳). Critical thinking had a significant positive relationship with students’ grade point average (r=۰.۸۷۵). Additionally, there was no significant relationship between critical thinking with sensory avoidance (r=۰.۰۹۹) and age (r=۰.۸۴۷). In the sensory processing patterns, only low registration had a significant relationship with gender (P<۰.۰۵).Conclusion: Students whose dominant patterns of sensory processing were sensory sensitivity and sensory seeking had better and worse critical thinking skills than others, respectively. It seems necessary to pay attention to sensory processing patterns in students to develop their mental skills, especially critical thinking.

Keywords:

Thinking , Perception , Student , Critical thinking , Sensory Processing Pattern