Development of a Design Thinking Skills Perception Scale for High School Students: Validity, Reliability, and Invariance Studies

This study aimed to develop and validate the Design Thinking Skills Perception Scale (DTSPS) to assess high school students' perceptions of their design thinking (DT) skills. An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was adopted, integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 students (Grades 9–12) to explore their views on empathy, problem identification, creative ideation, prototyping, solution orientation, and teamwork. Thematic analysis revealed empathy and teamwork as essential, while prototyping and testing were challenging due to limited experience. These insights guided the initial item pool. In the quantitative phase, data were collected from 208 students in Central Anatolia. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses confirmed a six-dimensional structure, explaining 64% of the total variance. The scale demonstrated strong convergent and discriminant validity, high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .73–.88; McDonald’s ω = .77–.91), and measurement invariance across gender and grade levels. Scores range from 20 to 100, with higher scores indicating stronger DT skill perceptions. The scale can be administered individually or in groups, and provides both total and sub-dimension scores. The DTSPS is a reliable and valid instrument offering insights into students' 21st-century skills, including creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving. It addresses a critical gap in DT education by offering a standardized measure for high school students. The findings suggest that the scale can guide educators in supporting students’ development of DT competencies. Future research should validate the DTSPS in more diverse contexts and explore its integration into digital learning environments.