RT Article
T1 Effectiveness of Moral Developmental Interventions for Youth Engaged in Delinquent Behavior: A Meta-Analysis
JF International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology
VO 69
IS 5
SP 537
OP 558
A1 Heynen, Evelyn
A2 Hoogsteder, Larissa
A2 van Vugt, Eveline
A2 Schalkwijk, Frans 1957-
A2 Stams, Geert-Jan
A2 Assink, Mark
LA English
YR 2025
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1920046755
AB There is vast empirical evidence showing that juvenile delinquency is associated with delays in moral development, including moral judgment, empathy, and self-conscious emotions (guilt and shame). Consequently, interventions have been developed that target moral development of juvenile delinquents to reduce criminal offense recidivism. However, a comprehensive synthesis of studies examining the effectiveness of these interventions was not yet available. The present meta-analysis of (quasi-)experimental research therefore examined the effects of interventions that target moral development of youth engaged in delinquent behavior. Interventions that targeted moral judgment (11 studies and 17 effect sizes) showed a significant and small-to-medium effect on moral judgment (d = 0.39), with intervention type as a significant moderator, but no significant effect on recidivism (d = 0.03; 11 studies and 40 effect sizes). No (quasi-)experimental studies were found that targeted guilt and shame in juvenile offenders, and an insufficient number of studies (i.e., only two) were found to conduct a meta-analysis of interventions that target empathy. The discussion focuses on potential ways to improve moral development interventions for youth engaged in delinquent behavior, and provides suggestions for future research.
K1 Meta-analysis
K1 Conscience
K1 behavioral interventions
K1 Moral Development
DO 10.1177/0306624X231172648