Premium
A comparison of moral reasoning in drug addicts and nonaddicts
Author(s) -
Alterman Arthur I.,
Druley Keith A.,
Connolly Robert,
Bush David
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(197807)34:3<790::aid-jclp2270340346>3.0.co;2-p
Subject(s) - lawrence kohlberg's stages of moral development , moral reasoning , psychology , personality , drug addict , moral development , addiction , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , moral disengagement , social psychology , psychiatry
Assessed moral reasoning of 20 male addict patients and 17 nonprofessional male hospital employees by Kohlberg's methods. The mean level of moral reasoning of the drug addict group (2.97) was not found to differ significantly from that of the nonaddict comparison group (2.88). Furthermore, moral reasoning in addicts was not found to be related significantly to a number of background and personality characteristics. The findings, therefore, indicated that moral reasoning and moral behavior are not related siginificantly in drug addicts. It was concluded that the deviant behavior of this group is more likely the result of a deficiency in ego controls.