Introduction. The problem of the adequacy of the diagnosis of the state of spiritual and moral culture of young people in connection with the recent cases of aggression of students is of particular importance. The purpose of the article is to identify the methodological roots of the problem of diagnosing the state of spiritual and moral culture of youth and ways to overcome them. Methods. The study was attended by students of the Institute of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology of I.A. Bunin Yelets State University (N=42) and the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Orenburg State University (N=16). To study the state of spiritual and moral culture, the author's modification of the questionnaire of positive dynamics of moral values of the State of the Family and upbringing of the Russian Academy of Education was used. Research results. Analysis of existing diagnostics has shown that the causes of their imperfections have methodological origins. The inclusion of philosophical heritage in the scientific apparatus and the consideration of religious traditions made it possible to make appropriate changes to the well-known questionnaires: an adequate answer for questioning moral values should contain the words "to give", "to give", "to serve", and not "to have". An analysis of the responses of the survey conducted by students shows that the vast majority of respondents value the health of their parents (95%) and wealth (81%). At the same time, more than half of the students prefer spiritual values – friendship (72%), love (63%) and mercy (60%). The results obtained enrich the world pedagogical science with new scientific knowledge about the instability of the spiritual and moral state of youth. Conclusion. Summarizing the experience of diagnostic studies by modern authors and conducting a questionnaire of students according to a questionnaire consistent with national traditions showed that there are no clearly expressed trends in the priority of youth values: for students, the health of parents, wealth and kindness are about equally important. The proposed shift of emphasis in the formulations of the well-known questionnaires makes it possible to implement both diagnostic and educational functions. Moreover, the corrected formulations will become an occasion for respondents to see the prospects for spiritual growth, to think about their moral self-development.