Development and Construct Validity of the Moral Sensitivity Scale in Thai Version

Abstract

Moral sensitivity is the ability to identify an ethical problem and to understand the ethical consequences of the decisions made. More specifically, it involves building a trusting relationship with the student and responding to his or her perceived needs, establishing moral meaning for decisions made, expressing a moral motivation to act in the best interest of the student, and modifying the student's autonomy when necessary. The purpose of this article is to explore the meaning of the concept of moral sensitivity based on a review of the professional literature of selected disciplines and examined moral sensitivity of lower secondary school students with Moral Sensitivity Scale. Thai Moral Sensitivity Scale is based on Narvaez operationalization of moral sensitivity (2001): (1) Reading and expressing emotions, (2) taking the perspectives of others, (3) caring by connecting to others, (4) working with interpersonal and group differences, (5) preventing social bias, (6) generating interpretations and options and (7) identifying the consequences of actions and options. Qualitative content analysis of the many descriptors found within the literature was conducted to enhance understanding of the concept and identify its essential characteristics. The Thai Moral Sensitivity Scale are analyzed by SPSS and confirmatory factor analysis through LISREL. The results of the had favorable internal validity, reliability. The Thai Moral Sensitivity scale was a construct validity proof by the confirmatory factor analysis.