The Adapted Version of the Sociomoral Reflection Measure (SRM-AV) in Dutch Forensic Psychiatric Patients

Abstract

We developed a new instrument for measuring moral maturity in Dutch forensic psychiatric patients with the Sociomoral Reflection Measure-Short Form as a starting point. This instrument contains 11 propositions to which respondents indicate their own perceived level of importance and justifications of their choices. Twenty new statements were added to these 11 propositions. Justifications of the responses were scored with the aid of a seven-point scale, each point representing a (transitional) level of moral maturity. In order to have a practical instrument, we deleted 11 items with the lowest interrater reliability of the 31 items. The internal consistency, interrater reliability and test-retest reliability of the new instrument with the remaining 20 items (SRM-AV) were good. Validity was supported by significant correlations with age, psychopathy, agreeableness, and verbal aggression. Patients scored significantly lower on the SRM-AV than two non-clinical control groups. For the time being, the SRM-AV appears to measure moral maturity in forensic psychiatric patients in a reliable and valid way.

Keywords:

• forensic psychiatry
• moral maturity
• self-report measure