Analysis of High School Students' Critical Thinking Skills in Solving Mathematics TKA Questions Based on Adversity Quotient

Critical thinking ability is a crucial competency in mathematical problem-solving—particularly for problems presented in the Academic Ability Test (TKA), which emphasizes reasoning and higher-order thinking. One internal factor influencing students' critical thinking ability is their Adversity Quotient (AQ). This study aimed to analyze the critical thinking abilities of high school students when solving TKA-style mathematics problems, based on their Adversity Quotient. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed, involving six students from class XII-3 at SMA Muhammadiyah Ponorogo selected via purposive sampling; the group comprised two students representing each Adversity Quotient category: climbers, campers, and quitters. Data were collected using an Adversity Quotient questionnaire, a critical thinking test consisting of TKA-style algebra problems, and in-depth interviews. The data were analyzed using the Miles and Huberman model—involving data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing—while data validity was ensured through technique triangulation. The findings indicate that students in the "climbers" category met all critical thinking indicators: interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference. Students in the "campers" category met the indicators for interpretation, analysis, and partial evaluation but were inconsistent in reflecting on and drawing conclusions from their solutions. Meanwhile, students in the "quitters" category met only the interpretation indicator and encountered difficulties starting at the analysis stage, preventing them from proceeding to evaluation and inference. These findings suggest that a higher Adversity Quotient contributes to more optimal critical thinking skills when solving TKA-style mathematics problems, particularly regarding the fulfillment of each critical thinking indicator.