The clinical utility of the sociomoral reflection measure-short form versus the defining issues test: measuring the moral maturity of adult offenders

Abstract

The present research was conducted in order to compare two measures of moral judgement maturity, and in order to assess the moral maturity of adult offenders. Rest's Defining Issues Test (DIT) and Gibbs, Basinger, and Fuller's Sociomoral Reflection Measure-Short Form (SRM-SF) were administered to the same sample of 67 adult male offenders, incarcerated at Rimutaka Medium Security Prison (New Zealand). The two measures were compared for clinical utility and in relation to key developmental issues, including ethnicity, level of formal education, socioeconomic status, and age. On both measures, the participants scored at a level consistent with early to late adolescent development. According to DIT norms, their level of moral maturity was slightly higher than that of junior High School students. According to SRM-SF norms, their level of moral maturity was consistent with what would be expected from participants aged between 14 and 17. The participants mean SRM-SF score indicates that they were reasoning at a stage where maintaining relationships and living up to interpersonal expectations is considered important. These results are discussed in light of previous research regarding adult moral maturity. The present research also found that the SRM-SF was sensitive to the participants ethnic identity, level of formal education, and SES. The DIT on the other hand was sensitive to the participants age, with participants aged 32 years or older scoring significantly higher on this measure. The older participants also used significantly more moral type B reasoning. Participants preferred taking the SRM-SF to the DIT. Although the DIT took slightly longer to administer than the SRM-SF, it took less than half the time to score and no prior training was necessary. These results are discussed in relation to how each instrument measures moral maturity, and in terms of moral intervention.