Moral Development in Early Adolescence: An Intervention Study

This study includes the evaluation of an intervention program which aims to contribute to the moral development of early adolescents. ‘Positive youth development’ framework stresses the importance of supporting the youth development in this particular age period. The data of the study was collected within a part of a broader intervention program called ‘Positive Youth Development in Early Adolescence: Understanding and Supporting the Youth Development in Different Contexts’. Aim of the intervention was to support the positive development of adolescents in social-emotional and moral developmental areas. The sample was composed of 925 students from 9 elementary schools, 5 control and 4 intervention schools, with low and middle socioeconomic status background. The short term and long-term effects of the intervention were measured by posttest and follow-up tests, respectively. The results suggested that the intervention program was effective in supporting the moral development of all students during the early adolescence