Introduction: critical thinking is a cognitive process oriented to the interpretation, inference, evaluation, analysis and reflection of context situations, through knowledge and intelligence, to arrive effectively at the most reasonable and justified position on an issue. Objective: to analyze the effects of an intervention program based on chain meeting, transformative triangulation and controversy about critical thinking in students of the social work career of a Chilean university. Materials and Methods: the study is framed in the quantitative paradigm, of quasi-experimental design with preprogramming and posttesting with a single group. The sample consisted of 33 university students. The intervention program consisted of a total of six sessions, in which three critical thinking development strategies corresponding to chain meeting, transformative triangulation and controversy were implemented; It also included face-to-face and virtual counseling. Results: it was found that there are positive effects on the critical thinking of the participating students, after the development of the intervention program. Conclusions: Critical thinking development strategies promote the construction of knowledge, the ability to adopt a posture, the self-assessment of one's own thinking and the recognition of divergent points of view.