Revisiting the impact of a residence hall staff training class on the moral judgment development of college students
Date
2014
Authors
Jacques, Kevin L., author
Anderson, Sharon K., advisor
Gloeckner, Gene W., committee member
McKelfresh, David, committee member
Siller, Tom, committee member
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Abstract
This research study was an attempt to replicate a previous study completed in 1987 by McKelfresh. More specifically, this study examined the impact of RA training on moral judgment development as measured by the Defining Issues Test-2 (DIT-2). The research method incorporated a pretest-posttest nonequivalent comparison-group design and posttest-only control-group design. The experimental group of consisted of 43 students who were proceeding through the Resident Assistant (RA) selection course; the control group consisted of 45 students not participating in the course. The following results of the study occurred: The mean pretest scores of students enrolled in the RA training course were higher than the mean pretest scores of the established norm for the DIT-2. There was a significant difference in the pretest N2 score for students enrolled in the RA selection course compared to the pretest N2 scores of students not enrolled. There was also significant growth between the pretest and posttest scores of students who completed the RA selection course compared to students who did not complete the course. Other findings were not significant. Possible interpretations of these findings are a) students who set out to be RAs have a predisposition for a higher level of post-conventional moral judgment when compared to students who do not pursue RA training; and b) completing a residence-hall selection course appeared to have an impact on the development of a student's moral judgment.
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Subject
RA course
moral judgment development
resident assistant
college student
ethics