Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Moral Judgment of Juvenile Delinquents: A Meta-Analysis

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A meta-analysis of 50 studies was conducted to investigate whether juvenile delinquents use lower levels of moral judgment than their nondelinquent age-mates and, if so, what factors may influence or moderate the developmental delay. The results show a lower stage of moral judgment for juvenile delinquents (d=.76). Effect sizes were large for comparisons involving male offenders, late adolescents, delinquents with low intelligence, and incarcerated delinquents. The largest effect sizes were found for period of incarceration and comparisons involving juvenile delinquents with psychopathic disorder. Production instead of recognition measures, dilemma-free assessment methods, and non-blind scoring procedures yielded relatively large effect sizes, whereas effect sizes were medium for comparisons involving delinquents with average intelligence, non-incarcerated delinquents, female offenders, as well as early and middle adolescents. Psychopathic disorder and institutionalization were identified as unique moderators of the link between moral judgment and juvenile delinquency. It is concluded that developmentally delayed moral judgment is strongly associated with juvenile delinquency, even after controlling for socioeconomic status, gender, age and intelligence.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acoca, L. (1999). Investing in girls: A 21st century strategy. Juvenile Justice, 6, 2–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Addad, M., & Leslau, A. (1990). Immoral judgment, extraversion, neuroticism, and criminal behaviour. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 34, 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Al-Falaij, A. (1991). Family conditions, ego development, and sociomoral development in juvenile delinquency: A study of Bahraini adolescents. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Pittsburgh

  • Alterman, A. I., Druley, K. A., Connolly, R., & Bush, D. (1978). A comparison of moral reasoning in drug addicts and non-addicts. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 34, 790–794.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, D. A., & Bonta, J. (2003). The psychology of criminal conduct. Cincinnati, OH: Anderson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arbuthnot, J., & Gordon, D. A. (1988). Crime and cognition. Community applications of sociomoral reasoning development. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 15, 379–393.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arbuthnot, J., Gordon, D. A., & Jurkovic, G. (1987). Personality and delinquency. In H. D. Quay (Ed.), Handbook of juvenile delinquency. New York: John Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barriga, A. O., Landau, J. R., Stinson, B. L., Liau, A. K., & Gibbs, J. C. (2000). Cognitive distortion and problem behaviors in adolescents. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 27, 36–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Bartek, S. E., Krebs, D. L., & Taylor, M. C. (1993). Coping, defending, and the relations between moral judgment and moral behavior in prostitutes and other female juvenile delinquents. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 102, 66–73.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Basinger, K. S., & Gibbs, J. C. (1987). Validation of the Sociomoral Reflection Objective Measure—Short Form. Psychological Reports, 61, 139–146.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • *Basinger, K. S., Gibbs, J. C., & Fuller, D. (1995). Context and the measurement of moral judgement. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 18, 537–556.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bear, G. G., & Richards, H. C. (1981). Moral reasoning and conduct problems in the classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 73, 644–670.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berkowitz, M. W., & Grych, J. H. (1998). Fostering goodness: Teaching parents to facilitate children's moral development. Journal of Moral Education, 27, 371–391.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernaards, C. A., & Sijtsma, K. (1999). Factor analysis of polytomous item response data suffering from ignorable item nonresponse. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 34, 277–313.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Betke, M. A. (1944). Defective moral reasoning and delinquency: A psychological study. Catholic University of America Studies in Psychology and Psychiatry, 6(4).

  • Blasi, A. (1980). Bridging moral cognition and moral action: a critical review of the literature. Psychological Bulletin, 88, 1–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blasi, A. (1999). Emotions and Moral Motivation. Journal for the Theory of Social Behavior, 29, 1–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borenstein, M., Rothstein, D., & Cohen, J. (2000). Comprehensive Meta-Analysis: A computer program for research synthesis [Computer software]. Englewood, NJ: Biostat.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradley, R. H., & Corwyn, R. F. (2002). Socioeconomic status and child development. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 371–399.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brainerd, C. J. (2006). Developmental review's most influential articles. Developmental Review, 26, 1–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Brugman, D., & Aleva, A. E. (2004). Developmental delay or regression in moral reasoning by juvenile delinquents? Journal of Moral Education, 33, 321–338.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Brusten, C. M. (2003). Investigation of the moral reasoning of offending and non-offending adolescents using the Sociomoral Reflection Measure–Short Form. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Oxford Brookes University, UK.

  • *Campagna, A. F., & Harter, S. (1975). Moral judgment in sociopathic and normal children. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31, 199–205.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • *Chandler, M., & Moran, T. (1990). Psychopathy and moral development: A comparative study of delinquent and nondelinquent youth. Development and Psychopathology, 2, 227–246.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colby, A., & Kohlberg, L. (1987). The measurement of moral judgment. Theoretical foundations and research validation. vol. 1 Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colby, A., Kohlberg, L., Gibbs, J. C., & Lieberman, M. (1983). A longitudinal study of moral development. Monographs of the society for the research in child development, 48, 200, 4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daly, K., & Tonry, M. (1997). Gender, race, and sentencing. In M. Tonry (Ed.), Crime and Justice. A review of research (pp. 201–252). Chicago & London: The university of Chicago Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Damon, W. (2004). The moral advantage: How to succeed in business by doing the right thing. San Francisco: CA: Berrett-Koehler.

  • *De Mey, J. R. P. B. (1993). Morele oordeelsvorming bij ‘antisociale’ jongeren en scholieren [moral judgment in antisocial adolescents and students]. Pedagogische Studiën, 70, 46–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dishion, T. J., McCord, J., & Poulin, F. (1999). When interventions harm. Peer groups and problem behavior. American Psychologist, 54, 755–664.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dodge, K. A., McLoyd, V. C., & Lansford, J. E. (2005). The cultural context of physically disciplining children. In V. C. McLoyd, N. E. Hill, & K. A. Dodge (Eds.), African American family life: Ecological and cultural diversity. New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donker, A. G., Smeenk, W. H., van der Laan, P. H., & Verhulst, F. C. (2003). Individual stability of antisocial behavior from childhood to adulthood: Testing the stability postulate of Moffit's developmental theory. Criminology, 41, 593–609.

    Google Scholar 

  • Durlak, J. A., & Lipsey, M. W. (1991). A practitioner's guide to meta-analysis. American Journal of Community Psychology, 19, 291–333.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg, N. (1986). Altruistic emotion, cognition and behavior. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Eisikovits, Z., & Sagi, A. (1982). Moral development and discipline encounter in delinquent and nondelinquent adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 11, 217–230.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Emler, N. P., Heather, N., & Winton, M. (1978). Delinquency and the development of moral reasoning. British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 17, 325–331.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Emler, N., & Reicher, S. (1995). Adolescence and Delinquency. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Eshel, Y., Kugelmass, S., & Breznitz, S. (1968). Moral judgment of lower-class delinquents. British Journal of Criminology, 8, 69–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, D. P. (1996) Understanding and Preventing Youth Crime. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, D. P. (2005). The importance of child and adolescent psychopathy. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33, 489–497.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, D. P., Gallagher, B., Morley, L., St. Ledger, R. J., & West, D. J. (1986). Unemployment, school leaving, and crime. British Journal of Criminology, 26(4), 335–356.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fincham, F. (1977). A comparison of moral judgment in learning disabled and normal achieving boys. Journal of Psychology, 96, 153–160.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Fodor, E. M. (1972). Delinquency and susceptibility to social influence among adolescents as a function of level of moral development. The Journal of Social Psychology, 86, 257–260.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fodor, E. M. (1973). Moral development and parent behavior antecedents in adolescent psychopaths. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 122, 37–43.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • *Furnham, A., & Barratt, L. (1988). Moral judgement and personality differences in “problem children” and delinquents. Journal of Personality and Individual Differences, 9, 187–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garmon, L. C., Basinger, K. S., Gregg, V. R., & Gibbs, J. C. (1996). Gender differences in stage and expression of moral judgment. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 42, 418–437.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Gavaghan, M. P., Arnold, K. D., & Gibbs, J. C. (1983). Moral judgment in delinquents and nondelinquents: recognition versus production measures. The Journal of Psychology, 114, 267–274.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs, J. C. (1991). Sociomoral developmental delay and cognitive distortion: implications for the treatment of antisocial youth. In W. Kurtiness, & J. Gewirtz (Eds.), Handbook of moral behavior and development, vol. 3 (pp. 95–110). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

  • Gibbs, J. C. (2003). Moral development and reality. Beyond the theories of Kohlberg and Hoffman. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs, J. C. (in press). Should Kohlberg's cognitive developmental approach to morality be replaced with a more pragmatic approach? Comment on Krebs and Denton. Psychological Review.

  • Gibbs, J. C., Arnold, K. D., Ahlborn, H. H., & Cheesman, F. L. (1994). Facilitation of sociomoral reasoning in delinquents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 52, 37–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Gibbs, J. C., Arnold, K. D., Morgan, R. L., Schwartz, E. S., Gavaghan, M. P., & Tappan, M. B. (1984). Construction and validation of a multiple-choice measure of moral reasoning. Child Development, 55, 527–536.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs, J. C., Basinger, K. S., & Fuller, D. (1992). Moral maturity: measuring the development of sociomoral reflection. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs, J. C., Basinger, K. S., Grime, R. L., & Snarey, J. R. (2006). Moral judgment development across cultures: Revisiting Kohlberg's universality claims. Paper presented at the meeting of the Association for Moral Education, Fribourg Switzerland.

  • *Gibbs, J. C., Widaman, K. F., & Colby, A. (1982). Construction and validation of a simplified, group-administerable equivalent to the Moral Judgment Interview. Child Development, 53, 895–910.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilligan, C. (1982). In a different voice: Psychological theory and women's development. Cambridge, M.A.: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Gregg, V., Gibbs, J. C., & Basinger, K. S. (1994). Patterns of developmental delay in moral judgment by male and female delinquents. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 40, 538–553.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Hains, A. A. (1984). Variables in social cognitive development: moral judgment, role-taking, cognitive processes, and self-concept in delinquents and nondelinquents. Journal of Early Adolescence, 4, 65–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Hains, A. A., & Miller, D. J. (1980). Moral and cognitive development in delinquent and nondelinquent children and adolescents. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 137, 21–35.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • *Hains, A. A., & Ryan, E. B. (1983). The development of social cognitive processes among juvenile delinquents and nondelinquent peers. Child Development, 54, 1536–1544.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • *Hanson, R. A., & Mullis, R. L. (1984). Moral reasoning in offender and nonoffender youth. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 144, 295–296.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hare, R. D. (1980). A research scale for the assessment of psychopathy in criminal populations. Personality and Individual Differences, 1, 111–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart, D., & Carlo, G. (2005). Moral development in adolescence. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 15(3), 223–233.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Haviland, J. M. (1977). The punitive beliefs and behaviors of adolescent delinquent boys. Developmental Psychology, 13, 677–678.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, J. D., Herrenkohl, T., Farrington, D. P., Brewer, D., Catalano, R. F., & Harachi, T. W. (1998). A review of predictors of youth violence. In R. Loeber & D. P. Farrington (Eds.), Serious & violent juvenile offenders (pp. 106–146). Thousand Oaks: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hendriks, J., Rutten, E. A., Stams, G. J. J. M., & Brugman, D. (2006). De MOL graaft naar het geweten: Een nieuw meetinstrument. [The MOL digs in search of moral consciousness: A new measurement instrument] In I. F. Le Sage, H. Stegge, & J. W. Steutel (Eds.), Jeugddelinquentie en gewetensontwikkeling (pp. 66--78) [Juvenile Delinquency and Development of Moral Consciousness]. Amsterdam, SWP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, A., Power, C., & Kohlberg, L. (1984). The relationship of moral atmosphere to judgments of responsibility. In W. L. Kurtines & J. L. Gewirtz (Eds.), Morality, moral behavior and moral development (pp. 74–106). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, C. D., Neumann, C. S., & Rogers, R. (2004). Confirmatory factor analysis of the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV) in offenders with Axis I disorders. Psychological Assessment, 16, 90–95.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoff, E., Laursen, B., & Tardif, T. (2002). Socioeconomic status and parenting. In M. H. Bornstein (Ed.), Handbook of parenting. Vol. 2: Biology and ecology of parenting 2nd edn., (pp. 231–252). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, M. L. (2000). Empathy and moral development. Implications for caring and justice. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Hudgins, W., & Prentice, N. M. (1973). Moral judgement in delinquent and nondelinquent adolescents and their mothers. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 82, 145–152.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jaffee, S., & Hyde, J. S. (2000). Gender differences in moral orientation: a meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 703–726.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jolliffe, D., & Farrington, D. J. (2004). Empathy and offending: A systemic review and meta-analysis. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 9, 441–476.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jurkovic, G. J. (1975). The relationship of moral and cognitive development to dimensions of juvenile delinquency. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Texas at Austin.

  • Jurkovic, G. J. (1980). The juvenile delinquent as a moral philosopher: a structural-developmental perspective. Psychological Bulletin, 88, 709–727.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • *Jurkovic, G. J., & Prentice, N. M. (1974). Dimensions of moral interaction and moral judgment in delinquent and nondelinquent families. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42, 256–262.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • *Jurkovic, G. J., & Prentice, N. M. (1977). Relation of moral and cognitive development to dimensions of juvenile delinquency. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 86, 414–420.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kazdin, A. (1995). Conduct disorders in childhood and adolescence (2nd edn). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Kohlberg, L. (1958). The development of modes of moral thinking and choice in the years ten to sixteen. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Chicago.

  • Kohlberg, L. (1984). Essays on moral development: Vol. 2. The psychology of moral development. San Francisco: Harper & Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohlberg, L., Boyd, D., & Levine, C. (1990). The return of stage 6: its principle and moral point of view. In T. Wren (Ed.), The moral domain: Essays in the ongoing discussion between philosophy and the social sciences (pp. 151–181). Cambridge: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohlberg, L., & Candee, D. (1984). The relationship of moral judgment to moral action. In W. Kurtines & J. Gewirtz (Eds.), Morality, Moral behavior and moral development (pp. 52–73). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Kohlberg, L., & Freundlich, D. (1973). Moral judgment in youthful offenders. Unpublished manuscript.

  • Kohlberg, L., Scharf, P., & Hickey, J. (1972). The justice structure of the prison—a theory and an intervention. Prison Journal, 51, 3–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krebs, D. L., & Denton, K. (2005). Toward a more pragmatic approach to morality: A critical evaluation of Kohlberg's model. Psychological Review, 112, 629–649.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • *Krettenauer, T., & Becker, G. (2001). Developmental levels of sociomoral reasoning: German version of the Sociomoral Reflection Measure-Short Form [German]. Diagnostica, 47, 188–195.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Lee, M., & Prentice, N. M. (1988). Interrelations of empathy, cognition, and moral reasoning with dimensions of juvenile delinquency. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 16, 127–139.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leeman, L. W., Gibbs, J. C., & Fuller, D. (1993). Evaluation of a multi-component group treatment program for juvenile delinquents. Aggressive Behavior, 19, 281–292.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lind, G. (2002). Ist Moral lehrbar? Ergebnisse der modernen moralpsychologischen Forschung. [Can morality be taught? Research findings from modern Moral Psychology]. Second Edition. Berlin: Logos-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Lind, G., & Huber, R. (1994). Why do juvenile delinquents gain little from moral discussion programs? Symposium: The Limitations of Developmental Moral Education: The Challenge for Future Practice and Research. American Educational Research Association (April 4–8, 1994). New Orleans.

  • Lipsey, M. W., & Derzon, J. H. (1998). Predictors of violent or serious delinquency in adolescence and early adulthood. In R. Loeber & D. P. Farrington (Eds.), Serious & violent juvenile offenders (pp. 86–105). Thousand Oaks: Sage

    Google Scholar 

  • Lipsey, M. W., & Wilson, D. B. (2000). Practical meta-analysis (vol. 49). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loeber, R., & Farrington, D. P. (1998). Serious & violent juvenile offenders. Risk factors and successful interventions. Thousend Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowenkamp, C. T., & Latessa, E. J. (2005). Increasing the effectiveness of correctional programming through the risk principle: Identifying offenders for residential placement. Criminology & Public Policy, 4, 263–290.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lytton, H. (1994). Replication and meta-analysis: The story of a meta-analysis of parents’ socialization practices. In R. van der Veer, M. H. van IJzendoorn et al. (Eds.), Reconstructing the mind: Replicability in research on human development. Westport, CT, US: Ablex Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • *McColgan, E. B., Rest, J. R., & Pruitt, D. B. (1983). Moral judgment and antisocial behavior in early adolescence. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 4, 189–199.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGuire, J. (1995). What works: Reducing reoffending: guidelines from research and practice. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Menard, S., & Huizinga, D. (1994). Changes in conventional attitudes and delinquent behavior in adolescence. Youth and Society, 26, 23–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, G. A., & Chapman, J. P. (2001). Misunderstanding analysis of covariance. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 110, 40–48.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • *Miller, C. K., Zumoff, L., & Stephens, B. A. (1974). A comparison of reasoning skills and moral judgments in delinquent, retarded, and normal adolescent girls. Journal of Psychology, 86, 261–268.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moffitt, T. E. (1993). Life-course-persistent and adolescence-limited antisocial behavior: A developmental taxonomy. Psychological Review, 100, 674–701.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moffitt, T. E., Lynam, D., and Silva, P. A. (1994). Neuropsychological tests predict persistent male delinquency. Criminology, 32(2), 101–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moskowitz, G. B., Gollwitzer, P. M., Wasel, W., & Schaal, B. (1999). Preconscious control of stereotype activation through chronic egalitarian goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 167–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mullen, B. (1989). Advanced BASIC meta-analysis. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mullis, R. L., Cornille, T. A., Mullis, A. K., & Huber, J. (2004). Female juvenile offending: A review of characteristics and contexts. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 13(2), 205–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, J. R., Smith, D. J., & Dodd, J. (1990). The moral reasoning of juvenile delinquents: A meta-analysis. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 18, 231–239.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nevius, J. R. (1977). Level of moral judgment as a function of inductive discipline. Journal of Social Psychology, 103, 155–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olejnik, A. B. (1980). Adults’ moral reasoning with children. Child Development, 51, 1385–1288.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nucci, L. (2002). Because it is the right thing to do. Human Development, 45, 125–129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliner, S. P., & Oliner, P. M. (1988). The altruistic personality: Rescuers of Jews in Nazi Europe. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orobio de Castro, B., Veerman, J. W., Koops, W., Bosch, J. D., & Monshouwer, H. J. (2002). Hostile attribution of intent and aggressive behavior: A Meta analysis. Child Development, 73, 916–934.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, E. J. (2003). An overview of the relationship between moral reasoning and offending. Australian Psychologist, 38, 165–174.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Palmer, E. J., & Hollin, C. R. (1998). A comparison of patterns of moral development in young offenders and non-offenders. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 3, 225–235.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Palmer, E. J., & Hollin, C. R. (2000). The interrelations of socio-moral reasoning, perceptions of own parenting and attributions of intent with self-reported delinquency. Legal and Criminal Psychology, 5, 201–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petronio, R. J. (1980). The moral maturity of repeater delinquents. Youth & Society, 12, 51–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piaget, J. (1932). The moral judgment of the child. Glencoe, Il. Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pizarro, D. A., & Bloom, A. (2003). The intelligence of the moral intuitions: Comment on Haidt (2001). Psychological Review, 110, 193–196.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Potter, G. B., Gibbs, J. C., & Goldstein, A. P. (2001). The EQUIP implementation guide. Champaign, IL: Research Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Power, C., Higgins, A., & Kohlberg, L. (1989). Lawrence Kohlberg's approach to moral education. New York: Columbia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raaijmakers, A. W., Engels, R. C. M. E., & van Hoof, A. (2005). Delinquency and moral reasoning in adolescence and young adulthood. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 29, 247–258.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rest, J. R. (1975). Longitudinal study of the Defining Issues Test of moral judgment: A strategy for analyzing developmental change. Developmental Psychology, 11, 738–748.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rest, J., Narvàez, D., Thoma, S., & Bebeau, M. (1999). DIT2: Devising and testing a revised instrument of moral judgment. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91, 644–659.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenthal, R. (1991). Meta-analytic procedures for social research. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenthal, R. (1995). Writing Meta-Analytic Reviews. Psychological Bulletin, 118, 183–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Ruma, E. H. (1967). Conscience development in delinquents and non-delinquents: The relationship between moral judgment, guilt, and behavior. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University.

  • *Rutten, E. A. (2001). The Moral Orientation List: A validation study. Unpublished manuscript, University of Leiden.

  • *Rutten, E. A., Brugman, D., Stams, G. J. J. M., Dekovic, M., & Hendriks, J. (2006). Moral cognition, moral emotion and norm-transgressive behaviour in delinquent and nondelinquent youth. Unpublished manuscript, University of Amsterdam.

  • *Ryan, M. E. (1985). Anxiety, moral development and perception of behavioral consequences in delinquent and nondelinquent adolescents. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Nebraska.

  • *Sagi, A., & Eisikovits, Z. (1981). Juvenile delinquency and moral development. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 8, 79–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Schmidlin, S. S. (1975). Moral judgment and delinquency: The effect of institutionalization and peer pressure. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Florida.

  • Seguin, J. R., Pihl, R. O., Harden, P. W., Tremblay, R. E., and Boulrice, B. (1995). Cognitive and neuropsychological characteristics of psychically aggressive boys. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 104(4), 614–624.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Silberman, M. A., & Snarey, J. (1993). Gender differences in moral development during early adolescence: The contribution of sex-related variations in maturation. Current Psychology: Developmental, Learning, Personality & Social, 12, 163–171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skoe, E. E. A., Hansen, K. L., Morch, W. T., Bakke, I., Hoffmann, T., Larsen, B., & Aasheim, M. (1999). Care-based moral reasoning in Norwegian and Canadian early adolescents: A cross-national comparison. Journal of Early Adolescence, 19, 280–291.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smetana, J. G. (1990). Morality and conduct disorders. In M. Lewis & S. M. Millers (Eds.), Handbook of developmental psychopathology (pp. 157–179). New York, Plenum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. J. (2005). Ethnic differences in intergenerational crime patterns. In M. Tonry (Ed.), Crime and justice. A review of research (vol. 32) (pp. 59–129). Chicago & London: The university of Chicago Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, H. N., & Sickmund, M. (1999). Juvenile offenders and victims: 1999 national report (NCJ 178257). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

    Google Scholar 

  • South, S. J., & Messner, S. F. (2000). Crime and demography: Multiple linkages, reciprocal relations. Annual Review of Sociology, 26, 83–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Speicher, B. (1996). Family patterns of moral judgment during adolescence and early adulthood. Developmental Psychology, 30, 624–632.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Stams, G. J. J. M., Dekovic, M., Brugman, D., Rutten, E. A., van den Wittenboer, G. H. L., Tavecchio, L.W.C., Hendriks, J., & van Schijndel, M. (2006). The relation of punishment- and victim-based moral orientation to prosocial, externalizing, and norm trespassing behavior in delinquent and non-delinquent adolescents. Manuscript submitted for publication.

  • Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2001). Using multivariate statistics. New York: Harper & Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tangney, J. P. (1995). Recent advances in the empirical study of shame and guilt. American Behavioral Scientist, 38, 1132–1145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tarry, H., & Emler, N. (in press). Attitudes values and moral reasoning as predictors of delinquency. British Journal of Developmental Psychology.

  • Thoma, S., Barnett, R., Rest, J. R., & Narvàez, D. (1999). What does the DIT measure? British Journal of Social Psychology, 38, 103–111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thoma, S. J., Rest, J. R., & Davison, M. L. (1991). Describing and testing a moderator of the moral judgment action relationship. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61, 659–669.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • *Trevethan, S. D., & Walker, L. J. (1989). Hypothetical versus real-life moral reasoning among psychopathic and delinquent youth. Development and Psychopathology, 1, 91–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vermeiren, R. (2003). Psychopathology and delinquency in adolescents: A descriptive and developmental perspective. Clinical Psychology Review, 23, 277–318.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Walker, L. J. (1984). Sex differences in the development of moral reasoning: A critical review of the literature. Child Development, 35, 677–691.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, L. J. (1989). A longitudinal study of moral reasoning. Child Development, 60, 157–166.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Walker, L. J., De Vries, B., & Trevethan, S. D. (1987). Moral stages and moral orientation in real-life and hypothetical dilemmas. Child Development, 58, 842–858.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, L. J., & Hennig, K. H. (1999). Parenting style and the development of moral reasoning. Journal of Moral Education, 28, 359–374.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, L. J., Hennig, K. H., & Krettenauer, T. (2000). Parent and peer contexts for children's moral reasoning. Child Development, 71, 1033–1048.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, D. B., Bouffard, L. A., & MacKenzie, D. L. (2005). A quantitative review of structured, group-oriented, cognitive-behavioral programs for offenders. Criminal Justice & Behavior, 32, 172–204.

    Google Scholar 

  • *Wischka, B.,(1982). Moralisches Bewußtsein und Empathie bei Strafgefangenen. (Moral consciousness and empathy of prisoners.) Unpublished manuscript, University of Marburg, Germany.

  • Wissink, I. B. (2006). Parenting, friendship relations and adolescent functioning in different ethnic groups. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlandsss.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Department of Education, P.O. Box 94208, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Geert Jan Stams & Peter van der Laan

  2. Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Daniel Brugman & Maja Deković

  3. Mondriaan College, The Hague, The Netherlands

    Lenny van Rosmalen

  4. The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA

    John C. Gibbs

Authors
  1. Geert Jan Stams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Daniel Brugman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Maja Deković
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Lenny van Rosmalen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Peter van der Laan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. John C. Gibbs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Geert Jan Stams.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stams, G.J., Brugman, D., Deković, M. et al. The Moral Judgment of Juvenile Delinquents: A Meta-Analysis. J Abnorm Child Psychol 34, 692–708 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-006-9056-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-006-9056-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation