Abstract
Objective: To investigate the construct and criterion validity of moral disengagement scale for adolescents and to establish the percentile norms of scale.
Methodology: Cross sectional research design was used and adolescents studying in educational institutes from age 12-19 years were included in the study which was carried out in three phases. In the first phase, construct related evidences of validity were collected by convergent and discriminant procedures. In the second phase, criterion validity was established by using Receiver-Operating Characteristic analysis (ROC). In the third phase, percentile norms were established and internal consistency was explored by item total correlation. Further reliability analysis was carried out.
Results: Correlation of Moral Disengagement scale for adolescent with Basic Empathy scale was inverse and significant (p<0.01), while for relational aggression and psychopathy was positive and significant (p<0.01). The ROC area under the curve shown a value of .99 (95% confidence interval: .998 to 1.00) for Moral disengagement scale for adolescent and Moral disengagement scale by Bandura, which is considered as appropriate in discriminating the adjusted and non- adjusted cases. The values of correlation coefficient for subscales and total scale moral disengagement scale for adolescent are in appropriate range and highly significant (p<0.01). Percentiles norms 50th percentile lies on score 61. So the cut off point for the current scale is 61.
Conclusions: Moral disengagement scale for adolescent is a valid and reliable measure.
