This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the relevance of developing critical thinking in adolescent students, its methodological approaches, its application in the educational process, and its role in personal development. The article explores psychological changes associated with the development of critical thinking, the socio-moral characteristics of adolescence, and their impact on students’ thinking, behavior, morality, and emotional state through a philosophical-pedagogical perspective. Critical thinking is interpreted not merely as an intellectual activity, but as a complex cognitive, social, and ethical process that transforms the individual into an active, responsible, and conscious participant in society.  

Critical thinking, student identity, problem-based learning

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