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Ethical misconduct continues to raise concerns among the public because of the significant impact on stakeholders. This study investigates differences among business ethics education, attitudes towards ethical decision-making, and length of work experience among MBA groups. Based on the premise that the transfer effects of business ethics education in the workplace are unknown, the researcher attempted to explore two important research questions that examine these differences, if any. Rest's (1979) Defining Issues Test (DIT-2) was employed to measure ethical decision-making among fully employed MBA graduates in the U.S. The DIT-2 measurement instrument was administered to 177 qualified participants. A Kruskal Wallis H test was used to respond to the research questions and test the hypothesis. Data analysis revealed no significant differences between business ethics education and attitudes towards ethical decision-making (p > 0.05). However, there were significant differences between the length of work experience and attitudes towards ethical decision-making (p < 0.001). This information may be relevant to businesses and academia to further collaborate with the aim of improving ethical decision-making in the workplace. Repeating this study with larger sample sizes is recommended for future research because of the challenges of defining groups. There does not appear to be anyone who fits into the "informal business ethics education training" groups or the "neither formal nor the informal business ethics education" training. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The development of the college student is influenced inside and outside of the classroom. Research supports that the traditional college experience assists or influences the students' identities relating to moral development. More and more students are completing a portion of their course work online. Yet higher education experts are not aware of how this type of delivery impacts their moral development. In this study, Rest's Defining Issues Test 2 was used to compare the moral development of on-campus and online service learning students who were enrolled in general education and experiential learning courses. Overall findings indicate there is moral development growth in on-campus service-learning students. Exploring research opportunities to enhance online service learning is needed. Additionally, continued investigation regarding impact of social normatives effecting students' moral development growth could enhance classroom content and moral development of students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

With university mission statements focused on preparing emerging adult students for globally inclusive professional careers, moral and leadership development has become a central focus of many colleges and universities (Bass, 1991; Binghamton University, 2016; Zimmerman-Oster & Burkhardt, 1999). Colleges and universities utilize interactions and experiences to broaden an emerging adult's awareness of an individual's role within a community, understanding of self, responsibility towards socially beneficial actions, discovery of personal and social values, and future life path (Burkhardt & Zimmerman-Oster, 1999; Rest, 1988). A dynamic college environment - with frequent interactions and experiences - provides developmental opportunities for emerging adult students to broaden awareness and inspire reflection towards a more advanced level of moral reasoning and leadership (Astin, 1993; Rest, Narvaez, Bebeau, & Thoma, 1999a). The athletic environment may provide emerging adult student-athletes with unique opportunities for frequent interactions and feedback from peers, adults, and the community. Members of an intercollegiate athletics team learn to collaborate and subscribe to group goals, which may support the development of emerging adult student-athlete transformational leadership practices. Therefore, an exploration of the moral judgment, community engagement, and transformational leadership behaviors of emerging adult student-athletes may offer an understanding of the unique developmental environment that exists in intercollegiate athletics. To understand the influence of opportunities and interactions within a university intercollegiate athletic department, a sample of emerging adult student-athletes were recruited to complete three survey instruments exploring moral judgment (Defining Issues Test; DIT-2), transformational leadership practices (Student Leadership Practices Inventory; S-LPI), and the influence of community engagement behaviors (National Survey of Student Engagement; NSSE). This research examines four hypotheses: the relationship between moral judgment and community engagement of emerging adult student-athletes, the relationship between community engagement and transformational leadership practices, the mediated relationship where community engagement serves to mediate the relationship between moral judgment and transformational leadership, and finally, the moderating effect of gender on the aforementioned mediated relationship. Findings aim to inform athletic higher education staff and administrators to enhance opportunities for student-athlete development of moral judgment and transformational leadership behaviors. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This research addresses moral decision making and the experience of public school principals. It also explores the possible influence mentoring has on principals' abilities to confront complex decisions when clear ethical choices do not exist. This study incorporates a survey methodology, exploring the relationship between principal mentoring programs and schemas of morality in principals' decision making. I used the Defining Issues Test-2 (Bebeau & Thoma, 2003; Rest & Narvaez, 1998) as the quantitative measurement tool to assess moral reasoning in this study. The survey also included questions about mentoring experiences and principal demographics. The DIT-2 uses the following three moral schemas that Rest (1973) identified: Personal Interest Schema, Maintaining Norms Schema, and Postconventional Schema. Rest based the three schemas on Kohlberg's (1958) moral development theory, which provides a framework for understanding various levels of moral judgment. The first part of my research involves determining the moral schemas principals use when making moral judgments. Principals in various studies have not only identified a need to improve moral judgment, but also areas of improvement that would most benefit them (Dempster and Berry, 2003; Drago-Severson, 2012; Henry, 2010). As a result, the second part of my research explores how principal mentoring programs with an ethics component impact moral judgment in principals. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This quantitative descriptive study identified the differences in the moral reasoning development levels between undergraduate teacher education students enrolled in methods courses and graduate teacher education students enrolled in an alternative certification education program using the Defining Issues Test-2 instrument. Based on Kohlberg's (1978) theory of moral development, this study addressed four null and four alternative hypotheses. The hypotheses aimed to identify whether differences existed in the development of moral reasoning, moral reasoning development levels, moral reasoning dilemma decisions, and moral reasoning development scores based on gender, parental status, church attendance, age group, program type, desired teaching level, and perception of the adequacy of training among undergraduate and graduate teacher education students. Results revealed that moral reasoning development scores, moral dilemma decisions, and moral development scores based on gender, parental status, church attendance, age group, program type, or perceptions of the adequacy of training between the two student groups were not statistically significantly different. A statistical significant difference existed in the moral reasoning development levels and desired teaching levels (grades 1 through 6 or grades 7 through 12). Undergraduate students were significantly more likely to be at the lowest level of moral reasoning development level (personal interest) than graduate students. Because of the small sample size, a post hoc power analysis was conducted after the results were analyzed. The lack of significant findings were due to an insufficient statistical power and type two error. Recommendations and model components essential for training within the university setting are addressed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This mixed methods study explored whether a relationship existed between moral development and dishonest academic behaviors in law students. The quantitative portion of the study utilized a survey adapted from James Rest's Defining Issues Test and Donald McCabe's Academic Integrity Survey. Law students were solicited by email from two public institutions. The usable sample included 134 law students in the first, second, and third years of law school. Qualitatively, a law school honor council chair was interviewed as part of a case study. The transcript was coded and explored for themes and emerging topics. In tandem, the quantitative and qualitative aspects work together to provide a framework with which to guide practitioners in law school teaching and administration. This study showed no relationship between the moral aptitude and academic dishonesty of law students. Also, no relationship existed between moral aptitude and category (papers, assignments and homework, or exams) of dishonest academic behavior. However, the study revealed that the highest number of instances of dishonest academic behavior occurred when students work on assignments or homework for class. Reference to materials, such as the internet, other law students or attorneys, or print materials, were consulted even when expressly prohibited by law professors. The study also indicated that the moral development of law students is declining. The P-scores of this study's participants was 35.5. Compared to their counterparts in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, the postconventional scores of today's law student is equivalent to high school and undergraduate students then. Studies show that students completing a clinical requirement in law school experience higher moral development scores. This is something law schools may want to consider going forward if moral development is vital to its institutional mission. Qualitatively, the case study provided useful guidance when dealing with academic dishonesty and the formation of an honor code from a law student's perspective. More dialogue is needed between an institution's honor council and the faculty/administration. This ensures that everyone is working with the same information and provides consistent communication to the law school community at large. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

In this retrospective causal-comparative study, the readiness of Virginia community college students to receive an accounting ethics curriculum was analyzed by measuring and comparing their moral sensitivity scores to the moral sensitivity scores of a group of four year university students. A sample of college students attending community college principles of accounting courses and a sample of college students attending four year university principles of accounting courses were administered a nationally recognized moral sensitivity survey instrument, the Defining Issues Test 2 (DIT2). The survey results were analyzed using a t-test for differences between means. It was found that there was no statistically significant difference in the mean moral sensitivity scores between the two groups. In addition, a t-test for differences between means indicated that there was no significant difference in the mean scores of the community college group compared to the DIT2 norms scores of students across the United States at the community college level students. A third t-test was performed comparing the community college group to the national norms scores of junior level college students who traditionally receive accounting ethics courses if offered in a college curriculum. A final t-test assessed the impact of gender on moral sensitivity scores. Although the mean score for females was higher than males, gender was found to have a low relationship to moral sensitivity scores. The implications of this study include a greater understanding of the moral sensitivity of community college students in comparison to four year college students who may traditionally receive ethics courses. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study was to investigate predictors related to personal characteristics (i.e., level of moral reasoning and personal attitudes toward reporting child sexual abuse) and professional characteristics (i.e., experience, and training) of the professional school counselor influencing ability to accurately recognize and likelihood to appropriately report child sexual abuse. This study used the Defining Issues Test, Version 2 to measure moral reasoning and a modified version of the Teacher Reporting Questionnaire to measure accuracy to recognize and likeliness to report child sexual abuse. A multiple regression analysis was used examine personal and professional predictors. The results of the multiple regressions on the overall model did not predict the professional school counselors' ability to recognize or likelihood to appropriately report child sexual abuse based on these predictors chosen for this study. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study examined both the moral development levels using the Defining Issues Test-2 (DIT--2) and ethical decision-making using the Professional Opinion Scale (POS) of social workers who provide field supervision to students within accredited social work programs in Wisconsin. Using the moral development theory of Kohlberg (1981) which defined moral development in terms of stages that increased an individual's ability to incorporate justice reasoning, Rest (1979) developed a four component model consisting of moral identity, judgment, sensitivity and motivation; the Defining Issues Test-2 (DIT-2) is a means of measuring moral judgment. Abbott (1988) developed the Professional Opinion Scale (POS) as a means of measuring social workers' identification with the established values of the profession. Applying Rest's model, moral identity in social workers was connected to identity as a social worker. The POS was postulated as a measure of social work identity and motivation since higher POS scores are reflective of adherence to the social work values identified in the "National Association of Social Work Code of Ethics" (r2008). A web-based survey was distributed to 1356 social workers through the e-mail lists of field coordinators in accredited social work programs in Wisconsin resulting in 163 usable surveys for analysis. Results of this study demonstrate that participants who score higher on the DIT-2 also score higher on the POS supporting the postulation that higher levels of moral development relate positively to ethical decision-making. Study participants with Masters of Social Work degrees scored higher on the DIT-2 but not higher on the POS than those holding Bachelor of Social Work degrees. There were no relationships found between either DIT-2 scores or POS scores with years in service, and employer type or practice area. This study implies that the capacity to make ethical decisions can be demonstrated by higher levels of moral development and congruence with the social work values. The outcomes of this study can serve as a foundation for further research examining the fourth component of Rest's model, moral action, applied to social worker's ethical choices. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

What kinds of experiences, interventions, or programs within the college context appear to foster or enhance moral growth beyond what one would expect developmentally from any 18-22 year old student? This quasi-experimental study is directed toward the effects of a particular aspect of the college environment on the moral judgment development of a particular group of students; specifically, first-year college men. The study investigates whether a certain cohort of men, Alpha Alpha (AA), who participate in a non-traditional, intentional, character-driven approach to fraternity membership demonstrated a rate of growth in moral judgment and reasoning that was greater than that of a similar cohort of men, Beta Beta (BB), who participated in a traditional approach to fraternity membership. The Defining Issues Test, Version 2 (DIT2), a neo-Kohlbergian instrument used to measure moral judgment and reasoning, was used to assess change/growth in moral development over time. Differences in the pre-test moral judgment scores of AA and BB were found, though the differences did not reach significance (0.075, p<0.05). Strong statistically-significant differences in mean moral judgment scores were found in post-test test scores for AA and BB (0.008, p<0.05), though both groups saw decreases in group moral judgment scores from pre- to post-test. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that there were significant differences in the change/growth rates of AA and BB (0.048, p<0.05). An examination of the moral judgment and reasoning scores of AA and BB alongside normative national DIT2 data for males concluded that the post-test scores of BB were significantly lower than that of the mean for first-year undergraduate men. In discussing findings, the researcher notes the mitigating effect of AA's intervention; that is, rather than fostering growth in moral judgment and reasoning, it only appears to slow what might otherwise be a significant regression in moral judgment as a result of a powerful male group effect found in fraternities. The nature of this group effect is explored, and implications for practice and research are offered. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between school counselors' ethical professional identity development, level of moral reasoning and considerations for making decisions regarding confidentiality with minors in the school setting. Previous literature has explored the inter- and the intra-personal process of counselor professional identity development, but few studies have explored the cognitive process of constructing one's professional ethical obligations in increasingly complex terms and how various professional self-constructions may influence ethical behavior. With a sample population of 30 professional school counselors currently employed in Virginia, this study used a correlational research design to determine relationships between the constructs of professional ethical identity, moral reasoning, and considerations for decision-making regarding confidentiality with minors. Using Kegan's Subject-Object Interview Adapted to Essay Format, the Defining Issues Test-2 (DIT-2), and the Revised Ethical Dilemmas in Reporting Student Risk-Taking Behaviors to measure these constructs, a moderate positive correlation was found between the Subject/Object essay assessment and the DIT-2; a positive correlation was found between considering the age of the student when making decisions on confidentiality and ethical professional identity (Kegan Subject-Object essay assessment), and considering whether one's decisions meet the expectations of school administration and whether the decisions complied with school district policies were both negatively correlated to level of ethical professional identity (Kegan Subject-Object essay assessment). No significant relationship was found between ethical professional identity level and whether or not the individual was a member of counseling professional organizations or attended post-graduate professional development trainings. Additionally, no significant relationship was found between ethical professional identity level and whether the individual graduated from a CACREP-accredited graduate program. Results and implications for the fields of school counseling and counselor education are discussed. Limitations for the study and suggestions for future research are also presented. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Leadership is a multifaceted skill as it requires the alignment of body, spirit and mind (Brown & Moshavi, 2005). Furthermore, it is a combination of behavior, actions and interaction between leaders and followers. It is characterized by the leaders' decisions' ability to influence followers' performance and achievement through their relationship, understanding, induction, and managements of the followers' emotions. Due to the importance of ethical decision making on the different levels of leadership, this quantitative study attempted to determine if leaders', specifically chairpersons and deans, emotional intelligence skills were associated with their ethical decision making through descriptive and inferential analyses of quantifiable data. Moreover, this study indicated a correlation and attempted to determine a predictive model between emotional intelligence and ethical decision making via the data collected from the University Sains Malaysia Emotional Quotient Inventory (USMEQ-i) and the Defining Issues Test (DIT-2). This study explained some important impact of being an emotionally intelligent leader and its impact on ethical decision making, specifically the seventh dimension "emotional expression". It was also uncovered that emotional intelligence can be a predictor to ethical decision making scores for this sample of 73 participants. As stated by Clarke (2010), people with high emotional intelligent, are capable of dealing with problems in an easier way than those with low emotional intelligence scores, thus having a more positive effect on the organization they lead. Further and more extensive similar studies are encouraged to be conducted so this information can be more generalized. Leadership will remain an elusive aspect of human nature, and the nature/nurture debate as to whether leaders are born or made will therefore continue. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Chief Academic Officers (CAO) are leaders in institutions of higher education and have wide decision-making scope. Previous research has clearly demonstrated the need for leaders to engage in ethical decision-making. Moral judgments are an aspect of ethical decision-making, so it is important for CAOs to make moral judgments. This study examined moral judgments of CAOs and differences in judgments based on age, gender, level of education, and amount of perceived moral/ethical education using the Defining Issues Test-2 (DIT-2). Two indices of the DIT-2 were used: the P score and the N2 score. The P score and N2 score of 310 CAOs were analyzed. Participants in the study included 180 males and 126 females and the majority of the participants reported having a doctoral degree. Results showed that average P scores and N2 scores for CAOs were in the 40s. There were significant differences according to gender and level of education. No significant differences were found with regard to age or amount of perceived moral/ethical education. Most institutions will be recruiting a new CAO in the next ten 10 years; therefore, the current data may be useful in assisting institutions in the recruitment and selection process. Additionally, the current data may be useful in increasing retention of current CAOs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Research indicates that approximately 70% of college students engage in some form of cheating (Austin, Simpson, & Reynen, 2005; Bowers, 1964; Leming; 1978; McCabe & Trevino, 1993, 1996; McCabe, Trevino, & Butterfield, 2001a). College students overwhelmingly agree that cheating is morally wrong; yet, their actions are not reflective of this belief (Bowers, 1964; McCabe & Trevino, 1996; Semerci, 2006). There is currently widespread research on reasons for cheating and personal characteristics that may predict cheating behavior; however, very little research exists emphasizing the role moral development plays in cheating. This study sought to fill the gap in the literature regarding how cheating incidences and perceptions of cheating correlated with the moral development level of college students, based on Kohlberg's (1958) theory of moral development. Utilizing a quantitative, correlational research design, N = 453 traditional-aged undergraduate students at a public, mid-sized, research university in New England completed the James Rest's Defining Issues Test (DIT) (1979) and McCabe's Academic Integrity Survey (2003) to measure the students' moral development levels, cheating incidences, and perceptions of cheating. More than 90% of respondents reported cheating on at least one of the cheating behaviors. The study revealed the mean moral development P score of respondents (M = 26.13) was more than 10 points below that of the national norms (M = 36.67). There was a significant relationship between moral development level and cheating incidences (r = -0.125, r2 = 0.016, p = 0.008) with those having a higher moral development level cheating fewer times. The more seriously students perceived cheating behaviors the less often they engaged in the behaviors (r = -0.326, r2 = 0.106, p = 0.000). Women perceived cheating behaviors (t(450) = 3.24, p = 0.001, M = 3.11) as more serious than men ( M = 2.93). By gaining a better understanding of the factors that impact cheating, university leaders can create an environment in which cheating is socially unacceptable. Administrators need to clearly articulate the expectations of students regarding cheating and confront cheating via an educational process. Students should be involved in the implementation and adjudication of any campus policies regarding academic integrity. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The public expects its educational leaders--from instructional leaders and principals to college administrators and deans--to be moral exemplars. Nowhere is moral behavior more central to the central mission of teaching and learning than in the realm of academic integrity, where decisions are made daily about grading, testing, promotion, admissions, placement, and awards. Moral problem solving, one essential and teachable component of moral behavior, has been studied in teachers and, to a lesser extent, principals. Yet little empirical research has been conducted on moral problem solving, or reasoning, among educational leadership graduate students in training for positions of responsibility. In particular, no studies have addressed this population's moral reasoning in relation to their academic authorship practices while they are writing for high stakes and becoming scholars. The purpose of this doctoral research was to explain the relationship between moral problem solving and academic authorship practices for educational leadership/administration (EDL/EDA) graduate students in five advanced schools in one Southern state. Using a correlational, explanatory design, the researcher administered an online questionnaire that included two established measures, the Defining Issues Test (DIT)-2 and the Academic Practices Survey (APS), along with an exploratory authorship/leadership dilemma and writing histories to assess master's and doctoral students. Of 539 students contacted for the census study, 113 respondents, or 21%, were considered a core group of completers for analysis. Results showed that these EDL/EDA students scored significantly lower on advanced, or postconventional, moral thinking, than those in a 2005-2009 national norm for graduate students across the disciplines. Additionally, the educators' moral problem-solving scores were significantly correlated with their self-reported behavior on a plagiarism subscale, but not a cheating subscale. Notably, EDL/EDA students reported relatively low levels of authorship activity and significantly lower levels of confidence in their summarizing skills than in their academic reading skills. Given prior research showing lower-than-average scores for moral reasoning among educators as well as proven gains from professional ethics and academic writing instruction, this study has multiple implications for higher education faculty and administrators who seek to train graduate students to become exemplary educational leaders and scholars. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a business ethics course on the cognitive moral reasoning of freshmen business students. The sample consisted of 268 college students enrolled in a required business ethics course. The students took Rest's Defining Issues Test--Version 2 (DIT2) as a pre-test and then post-test (upon completing the course). Descriptive analyses, t-tests, ANOVA, and multiple regression were employed to compare the pre-test and post-test scores of the students and to determine the relationship, if any, between the variables of gender, class size, instructor, class time of day, SAT scores, and students' GPAs; and the dependent variable of moral reasoning (N2) scores. Descriptive analyses showed that taking this kind of a course made a difference for virtually everyone. While women had higher pre-test scores, post-test scores, and overall gains in moral reasoning than men, men also had gains across the board. Gains were also found across all instructors, in both small and medium class sizes and regardless of what time the class occurred. Further, compared to the national sample of college students, the study sample was at the level of college seniors. Results of ANOVA testing showed that the gains in moral reasoning scores were statistically significant ones. However, the moral reasoning gains of students enrolled in the smaller sections (n = 19) were not statistically significantly different than students enrolled in medium sized (n = 27) sections of the same course. Finally, the independent variable of class time had the most statistically significant relationship with gains in moral reasoning scores. The findings of this study suggest several practices for institutions of higher education. First, certain curricular conditions should be considered by institutions with ethics courses. The content should be explicit and pedagogical strategies should include role-taking, the discussion of moral dilemmas, reflection, active learning, and cognitive disequilibrium. Second, increasing class sizes by eight students can help to maintain moral growth while still being financially efficient. Third, these findings may inform administrators when planning class times (the earlier, the better). [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Growing incidences of corporate ethical misconducts have revived the debate over ethical reasoning and moral development of corporate managers. The role of information technology (IT) in the ethical dilemmas is becoming more evident as virtual environments become increasingly popular, organizations adopt digital form of record keeping, and the processing speed of computing technologies increase tremendously. This quantitative descriptive correlational study investigated the moral judgment of information technology managers as measured by the Defining Issue Test (DIT-2), ethical decision-making in terms of moral sensitivity measured by the IT Ethics Survey, and examined the relationship between moral judgment and ethical decision-making. The findings revealed that IT managers' level of moral development matched that of Kohlberg's Stage 4 or "maintaining norms." IT managers' overall moral sensitivity was encouraging, especially when it concerned general ethics and ethical use of workplace resources. However, moral sensitivity was low concerning protection of intellectual property and privacy. Sufficient evidence did not exist to support the presence of a significant correlation between moral judgment and overall moral sensitivity. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Many students will choose to join a fraternity or sorority in college, yet much is still unknown about how these organizations impact student moral development. Using a correlational research design, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the intensity of involvement of undergraduate students in social Greek organizations with the duration of time spent engaged in community service activities on their moral reasoning abilities. Greek student involvement level was assessed using an abbreviated version of the Extracurricular Involvement Inventory. For the service measure, students were asked to estimate the amount of community service they had performed during the previous semester. Moral development served as the dependent variable and was determined using the Defining Issues Test. Sophomore Greek students (N = 98) from a large public university in the southeastern United States completed three research instruments and a demographic questionnaire. Pearson correlation analyses revealed that there was not a significant (p = 0.354) relationship between involvement intensity and moral reasoning development. There was also no significant (p = 0.720) relationship found between community service participation and moral reasoning development. Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that involvement intensity, service participation, gender, and parents' highest level of education did not predict moral reasoning development. Importance of the study and implications for future research and policy are also discussed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships, if any, among school counselors' multicultural competence, demographic data and ethical decision-making ability. The participants (N=160) for this study were members of the American Counseling Association (ACA) who designated their area of practice as school counseling. Participant's multicultural competence level was measured by the use of the MCCTS-R[C] (Revised by Holcomb-McCoy, 2004). Participant's ethical decision-making ability was measured through the use of the EDMS-R[C] (Revised by Paritzky and Dufrene, 2000; Adapted from James Rest's Defining Issues Test[C], 1979, All Rights Reserved). The participants' demographic data was collected through the use of a demographic survey. All data was collected electronically through the use of an online survey tool, surveymonkey.com[C]. The responses were evaluated through a multiple regression analysis utilizing SPSS 18.0[C]. While the multiple regression analysis produced no statistically significant results, noteworthy anecdotal observations were made regarding the results. The results from this study support the need for continued education and research regarding multicultural competence, demographic data and ethical decision-making in school counselors. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study was to compare the development of cognitive moral reasoning of nontraditional seniors enrolled in an adult, degree completion program with traditional seniors enrolled at the same university. A second comparison group consisted of a national group of traditional seniors. The moral development of all three groups was measured through the administration of the Defining Issues Test 2 (DIT2). The DIT2 is a standardized psychometric instrument that measures an individual's level of moral reasoning according to one of three schemas, ranging from the simplest to the most complex. According to the developers of the test, the most significant variable in the development of moral reasoning is level of formal education. In this cross-sectional study, the nontraditional seniors scored significantly lower than either comparison group when measuring for the most complex schema. Discussion of the results considers possible reasons why. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This quantitative study used the Defining Issues Test-2 (DIT-2) and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) to evaluate the relationship between transactional/transformational leadership qualities and moral development within a population of higher education students at a Protestant, Christian, liberal arts college. This study considered the idea that transformational leadership is the morally highest ideal level of leadership. It also considered the impact that the higher education experience has on student moral development. Specifically, based on past studies that suggested that Protestant, Christian, liberal arts institutions have a greater impact on students' moral development than other higher education institutions, junior and senior level students at a small, Protestant, Christian, liberal arts college in the south were surveyed. Similar to other studies, no statistically significant relationship was found between transactional/transformational leadership and moral development within this population. However, the information and values that were gained from this research has provided several areas for further research opportunities. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This research uses the Defining Issues Test-2 (DIT-2) to investigate the cognitive moral development of college seniors in adult degree completion (ADC) programs and traditional undergraduate (TU) programs at three Council of Christian College and University institutions. Overall, TU students had significantly higher scores on the DIT-2, TU students in the West and Midwest scored significantly higher than those in the South, Volunteerism did not correlate with DIT-2 scores. There was an inverse correlation between religious orthodoxy and DIT-2 scores for the sample and TU students; the same two groups also demonstrated a significant correlation between religious orthodoxy and self-reported conservatism. Finally, the sample did not score significantly higher on the DIT-2 than the 42.3 average for American university students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]