Moral Disengagement as a Predictive to Moral Emotions and Bullying among Secondary School Students

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Faculty of Education for Girls, Assiut Al-Azhar University

Abstract

This study investigated the predictive ability of moral disengagement in moral emotions and bullying. It also aimed to at identifying moral disengagement in relation to moral emotions (sense of guilt – sense of shame – sense of pride) and both aspects of bullying (school bullying – cyber-bullying). The sample comprised (167) 2nd grade high school students (mean age= 16.6, SD= 0.203). The researcher utilized the descriptive correlational method. Moral disengagement, moral emotions and bulling (school bullying – cyber-bullying) scales were administered. Data were statistically analyzed utilizing Pearson coefficient correlation and simple linear regression. Results indicated that there was a statistically significant positive relationship between moral disengagement and both aspects of bullying and its total score. The correlation coefficient ranged between (0.52) and (0.59). Otherwise, there was a statistically significant negative relationship between moral disengagement and both senses of guilt and shame at (-0.686) and (- 0.65), respectively. However, a statistically significant positive relationship (r= 0.70) between moral disengagement and sense of pride was obtained. Results also showed both aspects of bullying and its total score could be predicted through moral disengagement. In addition, moral disengagement could also inversely predict both senses of guilt and shame and positively predict sense of pride.
 

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