The moral reasoning of juvenile delinquents: a meta-analysis.
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.
Nelson
J R
JR
Department of Special Education, Utah State University, Logan 84322-6500.
Smith
D J
DJ
Dodd
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology*; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D009014:Morals; D010553:Personality Development