Abstract
<p>Metacognitive aspects of transferable skills—the capacity to regulate one's cognitive processes to enable skill application across diverse contexts—are critical for lifelong learning and occupational adaptability. Yet, no validated tool for their assessment has existed. Here we present the Checklist of Metacognitive Aspects of Transferable Skills (CheckMATS). It is an exceptionally easy-to-use instrument available in four age-adjusted versions spanning all educational stages, from early childhood through adulthood. A study conducted in a sample of 1,243 participants drawn from 31 educational institutions—including preschools, primary schools, general secondary schools, secondary technical schools, and vocational schools—confirmed satisfactory psychometric properties of the proposed tool. All CheckMATS versions demonstrate acceptable to good internal consistency (KR-20 between 0.70 and 0.88). Importantly, the metacognitive aspects of transferable skills they assess correlate with developmentally relevant psychological constructs, including interoception, theory of mind, metacognitive awareness, and selected aspects of metacognitive beliefs, supporting theoretical validity. These findings establish CheckMATS as a practical, psychometrically sound tool that addresses a longstanding gap in educational assessment, with potential applications ranging from classroom monitoring of individual development to scientific research. In the spirit of open science, all CheckMATS versions are made freely available alongside this article in editable format, enabling their use as paper-and-pencil instruments or implementation in electronic forms.</p>