The Mediating Role of Problem-Solving Skills in the Relationship Between Metacognitive Awareness and Critical Reading Skills Among Fourth-Grade Primary School Students

The aim of this study was to examine the mediating role of problem-solving skills in the relationship between metacognitive awareness and critical reading skills among primary school 4th-grade students. The correlational research design was used in this study in order to uncover the link between variables. The study group consisted of 332 fourth-grade students enrolled in public schools in Hatay province in the 2024-2025 academic year. The Metacognitive Awareness Scale for Children, the Problem Solving Inventory for Children, and the Critical Reading Scale were used to gather data from the students. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between the variables. The proposed mediation model was tested using path analysis with observed variables, and indirect associations were evaluated using the bootstrapping procedure. The findings indicated significant positive associations between metacognitive awareness, problem-solving skills, and critical reading skills. The direct association between metacognitive awareness and critical reading skills remained statistically significant after problem-solving skills were included in the model (β = .51), while the indirect association through problem-solving skills was also significant (β = .12), indicating partial mediation. As such, it was seen that problem solving had a partial mediator role in the associations of metacognitive awareness with critical reading; in addition, it was also discovered that metacognitive awareness and problem solving together accounted for 44% of the variance in critical reading. These findings show that problem-solving skills partially mediate the relationship between metacognitive awareness and critical reading skills among fourth grade students.