The moral reasoning of juvenile delinquents: A meta-analysis

Abstract

To test the hypothesized immaturity of juvenile delinquents' moral reasoning, the results of 15 studies of the moral reasoning of juvenile delinquents were integrated quantitatively using meta-analysis. Hedges and Olkin (1985) methods were used to (a) compute effect sizes, (b) test the homogeneity of the obtained effect sizes, and (c) test the statistical significance of the pooled mean effect size. The results supported the hypothesis that the moral reasoning of juvenile delinquents is immature. It was concluded that several other issues are in need of investigation.

The relationship of punishment- and victim-based moral orientation to prosocial, externalizing, and norm trespassing behaviour in delinquent and non-delinquent adolescents: a validation study of the Moral Orientation Measure

“…This finding can be considered remarkable, since meta-analyses revealed a large developmental delay in the moral reasoning of juvenile delinquents in comparison with non-delinquent adolescents, even after correlates such as intelligence, age, socioeconomic status and gender had been controlled for (Nelson et al 1990;Stams et al 2006). In fact, it is the first reversal seen in 50 studies that have been conducted so far.…”

Developing an understanding of the literature relating to the moral development of people with intellectual disabilities

“…Eisenberg (1989) In the United States, many people with IDs were also forced to live within institutions (Trent, 1994) In conclusion, research into the moral development of people with IDs is needed given that there have been several theoretical developments within the field. Gibbs (2003Gibbs ( , 2010) has revised Kohlberg's (Kohlberg, 1958 Further studies in this area as also needed, considering that there has been marked interest in the relationship between moral reasoning and offending behaviour (Blasi, 1980;Nelson et al, 1990;Stams et al, 2006). However, little to nothing is known about the relationship between anti-social behaviour and moral reasoning amongst children, Moral Development 33 adolescents or adults with IDs (Langdon, Clare, & Murphy, in press).…”

“…If moral development is associated with cognitive development and with antisocial behaviour amongst children and adolescents (Blasi, 1980;Nelson, Smith, & Dodd, 1990;Richards, Bear, Stewart, & Norman, 1992;Stams et al, 2006), and people with IDs are at greater risk of anti-social behaviours, then moral development theory may be of some value in understanding the aetiology of such difficulties amongst this population and may provide an effective theoretical rationale governing clinical interventions.…”

Moral Judgement and Delinquency in Homeless Youth

“…Since Blasi' s review, several empirical studies (Gavaghan et al, 1983;Chandler & Moran, 1990;Gregg et al, 1994) and meta-analyses (Nelson et al, 1990;Smetana, 1990) have con® rmed this ® nding. According to Smetana (1990) the results of studies utilising the interview method, as well as the objective questionnaire method, derived from Kohlberg' s theory, are ª overwhelmingly supportiveº of the hypothesised relationship between moral competence and delinquency.…”