A comparative study of the Moral Education Indicators (Moral Judgment and Moral Behavior) with Self-Understanding Factors in Normal Adolescents and Adolescents with Conduct Disorder

The aim of this research is to study the relation between self-understanding, moral judgment and moral behavior and compare them among two groups of normal adolescents and adolescents with conduct disorder. In this way, twenty normal adolescents (boys) and twenty adolescents with conduct disorder (boys), from middle and high schools in four educational regions in Qom, were randomly chosen by cluster sampling. The information needed for the research was gathered by clinical interview, and also by implementing the DSM/IV indicators of misconduct. Data analysis was performed using independent t, k2, and Mann Whitney U statistical tests, which demonstrated that among the two groups, based on the self-as-object scheme of self-understanding there is a meaningful difference. The normal group is more likely to use the social scheme and the group with conduct disorder is more likely to use the active scheme; also the normal group, with respect to the level of transformation of self-understanding with self-as-object, is in the third level and the other group is in the second level. With respect to the transformation levels of self-as-I factors, the normal group is in the second level and the other group in the first level. A comparison between the groups with respect to transformation levels of moral judgment also showed that the normal group is one level higher than the group with conduct disorder. Therefore, there is a meaningful difference between the mentioned groups. In conclusion, the hypothesis of the existence of a relation between moral judgment levels and moral behavior has gained some supporting evidence in this research. However, confirming potential relations between self-understanding and moral behavior, in other words intermediation of self-understanding between transformation of moral judgment and moral behavior, requires further research.