Prosocial Moral Reasoning in Institutionalized Delinquent, Orphaned, and Noninstitutionalized Brazilian Adolescents

Abstract

Researchers have postulated sociocognitive differences between delinquent and nondelinquent youths. However, prior studies have examined differences in prohibitive moral reasoning, and no studies of prosocial moral reasoning have been conducted with orphaned adolescents or in countries other than the United States. We examined prosocial moral reasoning in Brazilian institutionalized delinquent, orphaned, and noninstitutionalized adolescents. Delinquent, relative to nondelinquent, adolescents were expected to be less likely topreferhigherlevel, internalized types ofprosocial moral reasoning and more likely toprefer lowerlevels ofprosocial moral reasoning. No specific hypotheses were made regarding prosocial moral reasoning in orphaned adolescents. A total of 116 male andfemale Brazilian adolescents (38 delinquent, 38 orphaned, and 40 noninstitutionalized adolescents) were administered an objective measure of prosocial moral reasoning (PROM). In general, the main hypotheses were supported, and gender differences werefound. Discussionfocused on the correlates of prosocial moral reasoning and institutionalization in adolescence.