Children for integrity: The influence of moral stories on pre-schoolers’ integrity values

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the effect of an integrity intervention program in preschool focusing on the use of moral integrity stories that resemble the Jordanian cultural identity on children’s moral integrity values. A total of 200 preschoolers’ (4- to 5-year-olds) participated in the study, 95 female and 105 male participants from three private preschools in Amman were recruited. The sample was randomly selected and divided into experimental and control groups. Two-way ANOVA analysis was used to analyze the data. The results revealed main effect ( p < 0.0001) of the intervention for each dimension of the scale, empathy, honesty, respect, and courage, and the overall scale of integrity was in favor of the experimental group, with no main effect of the intervention by gender on any scale dimension. This study concluded that use of moral stories to integrate core moral values in pre-schoolers’ from the beginning aid in developing honesty, empathy, courageous and respectful intentions in coming generation to improve prosocial attitude leading to overall benefit to Jordanian society.