Context, Moral Orientation and Self- Esteem: Impacting the Moral Development of Senior High School Students.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare moral orientation and a measure of self-esteem with the degree of consideration given to certain contextual elements of the moral dilemmas presented. One research question guided the study. The sample consisted of 130 respondents comprising 60 second year students and 70 third year students of Bawku senior high school. The researcher created a 150- item questionnaire, using the Measure of Moral Orientation (MMO); Liddell, 1990, the Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), and researcher developed contextual scales that followed each of the MMO dilemmas. The purpose of these items was to assess the importance of significant relationships; situational factors/circumstances; peer culture and influence; cost-benefit analysis of consequences; institutional values; and religion, faith and spirituality on moral decision-making and motivation. Statistically significant findings were established for the degree of consideration scales (relationships, circumstances, peers, cost-benefits, institutional values and spirituality) as compared with the MMO overall care, overall justice, and self- care and self-justice scores. All other comparisons did not reach a level of statistical significance.