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Developing an understanding of the literature relating to the moral development of people with intellectual disabilities

Langdon, Peter E., Clare, Isabel C. H., Murphy, Glynis H. (2010) Developing an understanding of the literature relating to the moral development of people with intellectual disabilities. Developmental Review, 30 (3). pp. 273-293. ISSN 0273-2297. (doi:10.1016/j.dr.2010.01.001) (KAR id:32259)

Abstract

Recent reviews of moral development theory (Gibbs, Basinger, Grime, & Snarey, 2007) demonstrate that revisionist theoretical perspectives have cross cultural validity, but moral development in relation to people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) has not been considered within this literature. A structured review of the published literature relating to children, adolescents and adults with IDs, and moral development was carried out. Twenty studies meeting the inclusion criteria were found. The review indicated that people with IDs may not progress through the developmental stages of moral reasoning as quickly as typically developing peers, or reach the more advanced stages. This difference from non-disabled peers tends to disappear if groups are matched on some measure of cognitive ability. However, the studies are fraught with methodological problems and there is a need for further research, given the theoretical developments within the area of moral development, including the evidence of a relationship between moral development and anti-social behaviour amongst typically developing children and adolescents.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.dr.2010.01.001
Uncontrolled keywords: Moral reasoning; Moral development; Intellectual disability; Cognitive development; Behaviour; Learning disability; Developmental disability; Sociomoral reasoning; Moral judgement
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare > HV1568 Disability studies
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research > Tizard
Depositing User: Peter Langdon
Date Deposited: 03 Dec 2012 12:18 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:10 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/32259 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Langdon, Peter E..

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Murphy, Glynis H..

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7817-5861
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