[Socio-moral reasoning in boys with conduct disorder--the influence of cognitive, educational and psychosocial factors].
OBJECTIVE
The study explores whether conduct-disordered children differ from healthy children in reference to their moral development and to what extent cognitive and education factors, respectively psychosocial stress factors mediate the level of socio-moral development.


METHODS
Sixteen boys aged nine to fourteen years with an ICD-10 diagnosis of Conduct Disorder were compared to sixteen age-matched healthy controls. The level of socio-moral maturity was assessed by means of the German version of the Sociomoral Reflection Measure (Gibbs et al., 1992).


RESULTS
Results show that conduct-disordered boys tended to differ from their healthy counterparts in terms of the level of socio-moral maturity of judgement. According to the theory of Gibbs and co-workers, the moral judgement of healthy children (characterized by a pro-social and mutually moral attitude) is more mature than that of conduct-disordered boys. While the latter remain at an interim level between immature and mature socio-moral reasoning, the former adhere to more rational, exchange-oriented morals. The factors "intelligence" and "maternal support" exercise a decisive influence on socio-moral development.


CONCLUSIONS
It should be investigated whether or not the current results can be generalized in a larger sample.
Stadler
Christina
C
Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters der Universitätsklinik, Frankfurt/Main. Christina.Stadler@em.uni-frankfurt.de
Rohrmann
Sonja
S
Knopf
Andrea
A
Poustka
Fritz
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D035863:Moral Development; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011610:Psychosocial Deprivation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D012951:Socialization