Validation of the Sociomoral Reflection Objective Measure—Short Form

Abstract

The Sociomoral Reflection Objective Measure—Short Form—derived from the Sociomoral Reflection Objective Measure, a group-administered recognition measure of Kohlbergian moral reasoning—was psychometrically evaluated for use with 11th graders, juvenile delinquents, and 6th graders. The short form evidenced acceptable reliability and validity for use with 11th graders. Psychometric properties were comparable to those reported for the full scale. Since the short form takes 20 min. less to administer and is quicker to score, the short form was recommended for use with 11th graders in large-scale research. Results for both 6th graders and juvenile delinquents showed that the short form, like the full scale, does not have acceptable reliability and validity for these groups. Reliability and validity of the short form for other adolescent groups must be assessed.