پژوهشهای علوم شناختی و رفتاری (Feb 2024)
Development of moral intelligence scale of 12 to 19 years old adolescents in Isfahan Province
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to develop a moral intelligence questionnaire for adolescents in Isfahan province. The study was done using the survey research method. The statistical population included 12 to 19 years old adolescents in Isfahan province during 1401-1402. Based on the two-stage cluster sampling method, 400 students were selected in the first stage and 900 students in the second stage. The data were analyzed using the exploratory factor analysis method through the analysis of the main components on the data and the rotation of the factors using orthogonal method using SPSS 25 and Amoss 24. The results of the study showed that the Moral Intelligence Scale (adolescents form) has good form and content validity. The results of exploratory factor analysis led to the extraction of 7 factors (respect, responsibility, conscience, kindness, restraint, honesty and forgiveness) which explain 46.64% of the total variance of the scale. The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that factor loadings in components were higher than 0.4 and consequently significant (p<0.0001). The fit indices showed that the first-order seven-factor measurement model fit the data. The scale reliability the was estimated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.96 and the coefficient of halving was 0.93 Considering the suitable validity and reliability of the moral intelligence adolescent scale, this instrument can be used as a valid and useful tool to check and measure the moral intelligence of adolescents aged 12 to 19 years. Introduction Borba defined moral intelligence as the capacity and ability to understand right from wrong, have strong moral beliefs and act on them, and behave in the right direction (Borba, 2005). Adolescents are considered in the field of moral development. Strengthening the moral intelligence of adolescents is the best opportunity to put them on the right path so that they can prevent possible harms from themselves. Torbati-Najad et al. in their study developed moral intelligence questionnaire with 55 questions and 7 factors (Torbati-Najad et al, 2022). Delbari, Fallah and Safari developed a questionnaire with 51 subjects and 7 components (Delbari, Fallah and Safari, 2019); AL-Adwan developed a questionnaire with 35 questions in the study (AL-Adwan, 2022). Considering the importance of the subject and because a questionnaire that includes all angles of moral intelligence did not exist this study aimed to develop a questionnaire on the moral intelligence of adolescents between 12 to 19 years old. Method The purpose of this study was to develop the moral intelligence scale for adolescents of 12 to 19 years old in Isfahan province. It was done via survey research method in 2022-2023 through a two-stage cluster sampling including 400 hundred students of the first stage and 900 students of the second stage. The tool was a researcher-made questionnaire on the moral intelligence for adolescents of 12-19 years old which had 71 items and 7 factors. The second tool was Abadian and Rabat Milli's Moral Intelligence Scale (2020) with 49 items and 5 components of maintaining the dignity of others, adherence to principles, moral sensitivity, moral self-efficacy and ego empowerment and a reliability of 0.93. According to the studies, 110 items were determined. For face and content validity, 15 experts were given questions with a CVR of less than 0.49, and they were removed. A questionnaire with 82 questions was prepared for preliminary reliability. After the analysis, 3 items were removed and the scale was finalized with 79 items. All regions of the province were divided into three categories: rich, semi-rich and low-rich according to the expert opinion of the General Directorate of Education and Research. Then, two girls' schools and two boys' first and second secondary schools were randomly selected from each situation. The students were randomly selected from among the required courses. The data was analyzed by SPSS 25 and Amoss 24 softwares. FindingsThe direction of construct validity in exploratory factor analysis of principal components and rotation of factors from the 7-factor was extracted by orthogonal method; respect (0.88), responsibility (0.85), conscience (0.84), kindness (0.86), restraint (0.82), honesty (0.8), forgiveness (0.78). The results of the first-order confirmatory factor analysis showed that factor loadings in components were higher than 0.4 and thus significant (p<0.0001). The relative chi-square index was 1.22 and the TLI and CFI comparative indices were 0.915 and 0.935 respectively, which indicate the optimal fit of the model (scale). The criterion validity of Abadian and Rabatmilli's (2020) and the moral intelligence adolescent scale showed that the amount of relatively strong relationship was (r= 0/512). The reliability of the scale was obtained through Cronbach's alpha coefficient and turned to be 0.96 while the coefficient of halving was to 0.93. In order to check the norm, raw scores from 107 to 271 are divided into 17 classes. Z-scores ranged from -4.26 to 1.87, t-scores from 7.34 to 68.78, and the percentage of scores was from %2 to 100%. Discussion and conclusion The findings showed that exploratory factor analysis led to the extraction of 7 factors that explain 46.64% of the total variance of the scale. The results of the first-order confirmatory factor analysis showed that the moral intelligence scale has acceptable construct validity. The finding was in alignment with Torbetinejad et al.'s research (2022) and that of Abadian and Rabatmili (2020). Criterion validity showed that the moral intelligence scale adolescent had good concurrent validity. In this study, due to the high sameness of the questions, the reliability of all 7 factors and the reliability of the whole test were suitable. This scale can be used to measure overall moral intelligence or its components in counseling centers and schools
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