The relationship between nurses' moral competency and missed nursing care: a descriptive-correlational study.

BACKGROUND: When any aspect of patient care is overlooked or delayed, it is known as Missed Nursing Care (MNC), leading to adverse events such as medication errors, infections, increased mortality rates, and poor prognosis. Moral competence is crucial for clinical nurses as it guarantees high-quality patient care in nursing practice. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the correlation between moral competencies and MNC among nurses. METHODS: This study was conducted with a descriptive-correlational design. The participants in the study were nurses who were currently enrolled at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. In order to recruit nurses for the study, a convenience sampling method was implemented. The study tools were completed by a total of two hundred nurses. Research tools included a demographic questionnaire, the Moral Competence of Clinical Nurses Questionnaire, and the Kalisch and Williams Missed Nursing Care (MISSCARE) survey. ETHICAL CONSIDERATION: This study was approved by the Medical Ethics and Law Research Center of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. RESULTS: The mean scores of moral competencies and MNC were 151.83 ± 12.60 and 42.71 ± 9.38, respectively. In other words, descriptive statistics showed that the moral competence score was more than 75%, and the MNC score was less than 50%. Also, there was a significant negative correlation between the total scores of moral competencies and MNC (r = -0.38, p < 0.001), indicating that more moral competence was correlated with lower levels of MNC. CONCLUSION: The study revealed a negative correlation between nurses' moral competence and MNC, suggesting that enhancing moral competence could reduce MNC. To reduce MNC occurrences, hospitals, and organizations should prioritize moral competency, according to our research.

Moral competency of students at a german medical school - A longitudinal survey.

BACKGROUND: Medical students and doctors face various challenges in clinical practice. Some of these challenges are related to ethical issues. Therefore, teaching ethics respectively building moral competences has become an integral part of the medical curriculum in Germany and many other countries. To date, there is little evidence on moral competence of medical students. METHODS: Self-administered survey among medical students from one German medical school in the first (cohort 1) and fifth semester (cohort 2) in the winter term 2019/20 (T0). Both cohorts received the same questionnaire one year later in winter term 2020/21 (T1). Assessment was performed with Lind's Moral Competence Test. We performed convenience sampling. We analyzed the data with descriptive statistics and C-Scores as a measure of moral competence (higher scores = higher competence, ≥ 30 points = high competence). RESULTS: A total of 613 students participated in the study (response rate 67.5%, n = 288 with data on both time points). 69.6% of the participants were female, the mean age was 21.3 years. Mean C-Score for both cohorts for T0 (first and fifth semester) is 32.5 ± 18.0 and for T1 (third and seventh semester) is 30.4 ± 17.9. Overall, 6.6% (T0) and 6.7% (T1) of respondents showed some but very low moral competence. 3.3% (T0) and 3.0% (T1) showed no moral competence. Additionally, students without prior experience in the healthcare system scored 3.0 points higher. CONCLUSIONS: Improvement of assessment of moral competence as well effective interventions are particular needed for supporting those students which have been identified to demonstrate little moral competences.

Exploring moral competence regression: a narrative approach in medical ethics education for medical students.

BACKGROUND: Studies from different countries report a stagnation or regression of moral competence in medical students between the first and the last year of their studies, and the value of various educational interventions remains uncertain. METHODS: We used Moral Competence Test (MCT) to measure C-scores of moral competence to determine the change in the MCT C-scores between the first- and the fifth-year medical students from two medical schools in the Czech Republic in the academic year 2022/2023 and to analyze factors associated with the C-scores (observational study). In addition, for the first-year students, we compared the results of the MCT before and after an intervention in medical ethics curriculum (interventional study). We used a cross-sectional and descriptive design for the observational study. Students completed the MCT, consisting of two moral dilemmas (Worker´s Dilemma and Doctor´s Dilemma), the results measured by the C-score, which represents moral competence. RESULTS: In total, 685 students participated in the observational study. Objective 1: based on the analysis of the C-score, we observed a decrease in moral competence between the first and the fifth-year medical students (p < .001). Objective 2: we did not observe a statistically significant effect of gender (p = .278), or self-rated religiosity (p = .163). Objective 3: in the interventional study, 440 students participated in the pretest and 422 students participated in the posttest. The test of statistical significance found no improvement in students' moral competence after the intervention (p = .253). CONCLUSION: Medical students show a regression in moral competence during medical education; it was lower in medical students in their fifth year, compared to the first-year medical students without the effect of gender, or self-rated religiosity. Although educational intervention consisting of multiple tools of medical ethics teaching (PBL, CBL, KMDD and StorED) did not lead to increase in moral competence, the longitudinal effect of such intervention remains to be seen.

Assessing ethical behavior and self-control in elite ultimate championships: a cross-sectional study using the spirit of the game scoring system.

Introduction: Implementing a self-refereeing system presents a unique challenge in sports education, particularly in academic and training settings where officiated sports prevail. However, Ultimate Frisbee stands out by entrusting players with both athlete and referee roles, introducing distinctive ethical complexities. This manuscript is intended to evaluate ethical behavior and self-control within the Spirit of the Game (SOTG) scoring system in Elite Ultimate. To address these, Ultimate employs the (SOTG) scoring system, integral since the sport's inception in the late 1980s. SOTG aims to enhance and evaluate athletes' ethical conduct. This study evaluates SOTG's effectiveness in elite-level Ultimate, analyzing variations across divisions and age groups in three high-level tournaments. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from five international Ultimate tournaments in 2022. Teams spanned diverse age groups (under 17 to over 50) and divisions (women's, mixed, open). Post-match, teams assessed opponents' SOTG in five domains: Rules knowledge, fouls, fairness, attitude/self-control, and communication. Ratings used a 5-point Likert scale ("poor" to "excellent"). An overall SOTG score was calculated by aggregating domain scores. Results: Our study consistently revealed high SOTG scores, reflecting strong sportsmanship. "Positive attitude and self-control" consistently ranked highest, while "Knowledge and use of the rules" scored lowest. Divisional differences in SOTG were statistically insignificant. Notably, WMUCC2022 (participants aged 30+) had significantly higher SOTG scores, possibly indicating age-related self-control improvement or evolving sport culture. Lower rules knowledge scores may stem from linguistic translation challenges. Conclusion: Self-refereeing promotes ethical behavior across divisions and age groups. SOTG underscores sportsmanship's importance and aligns with International Olympic Committee (IOC) and with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3, 4, 5 and 16 fostering a fairer, healthier, and more peaceful world.

Factors contributing to the promotion of moral competence in nursing.

Ethics is a foundational competency in healthcare inherent in everyday nursing practice. Therefore, the promotion of qualified nurses' and nursing students' moral competence is essential to ensure ethically high-quality and sustainable healthcare. The aim of this integrative literature review is to identify the factors contributing to the promotion of qualified nurses' and nursing students' moral competence. The review has been registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023386947) and reported according to the PRISMA guideline. Focusing on qualified nurses' and nursing students' moral competence, a literature search was undertaken in January 2023 in six scientific databases: CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, PubMed Medline, Scopus and Web of Science. Empirical studies written in English without time limitation were eligible for inclusion. A total of 29 full texts were retrieved and included out of 5233 citations. Quality appraisal was employed using Joanna Briggs Institute checklists and the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Research about the factors contributing to the promotion of qualified nurses' and nursing students' moral competence is limited and mainly explored using descriptive research designs. The contributing factors were identified as comprising two main categories: (1) human factors, consisting of four categories: individual, social, managerial and professional factors, and ten sub-categories; and (2) structural factors, consisting of four categories: educational, environmental, organisational and societal factors, and eight sub-categories. This review provides knowledge about the factors contributing to the promotion of qualified nurses' and nursing students' moral competence for the use of researchers, nurse educators, managers, organisations and policymakers. More research about the contributing factors is needed using complex intervention, implementation and multiple methods designs to ensure ethically sustainable healthcare.

Group agents, moral competence and duty-bearers: the update argument.

According to some collectivists, purposive groups that lack decision-making procedures such as riot mobs, friends walking together, or the pro-life lobby can be morally responsible and have moral duties. I focus on plural subject- and we-mode-collectivism. I argue that purposive groups do not qualify as duty-bearers even if they qualify as agents on either view. To qualify as a duty-bearer, an agent must be morally competent. I develop the Update Argument. An agent is morally competent only if the agent has sufficient positive and negative control over updating their goal-seeking states. Positive control involves the general ability to update one's goal-seeking states, whereas negative control involves the absence of other agents with the capacity to arbitrarily interfere with updating one's goal-seeking states. I argue that even if purposive groups qualify as plural subjects or we-mode group agents, these groups necessarily lack negative control over updating their goal-seeking states. This creates a cut-off point for groups as duty-bearers: Organized groups may qualify as duty-bearers, whereas purposive groups cannot qualify as duty-bearers.

How childhood maltreatment links to labor values? The mediating role of moral competence and prosocial normative tendency.

BACKGROUND: Labor values are important components of the individual value system and considered to be among the most important values of an individual, especially in China. In studies of values, childhood maltreatment is considered to have an important influence on the formation of individual values. However, there is no previous research about the relationship between childhood maltreatment and labor values. The mechanism of childhood maltreatment on labor values is not clear and requires further study. METHODS: This study intended to investigate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and labor values, and further verify whether moral competence or prosocial normative tendency mediated this correlation. Therefore, 2691 participants were recruited from primary and secondary schools, who completed Labor Values Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Moral Competence subscale and Prosocial Norms subscale. RESULTS: Results revealed the negative correlation between childhood maltreatment and labor values. Importantly, childhood maltreatment also indirectly impacted labor values through moral competence and prosocial normative tendency. It indicated that both moral competence and prosocial normative tendency played a significant mediating role in this relationship. Our findings are valuable for understanding the underlying mechanism between early trauma and values. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood maltreatment has important implications for labor values. Moral competence and prosocial normative tendency mediate between childhood maltreatment and labor values. The results remind us to pay attention to the important influence of childhood maltreatment in the cultivation of labor values, and focus on the role of moral competence and prosocial normative tendency.

Assessment of ethical competence among clinical nurses in health facilities.

BACKGROUND: Ethical competence in nursing practice helps clinical nurses to think critically, analyse issues, make ethical decisions, solve ethical problems and behave ethically in their daily work. Thus, ethical competence contributes to the promotion of high-quality care. However, studies on ethical competence in Malawi are scanty. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore ethical competence among clinical nurses in selected hospitals in Malawi. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in four selected hospitals in Malawi with a sample of 271 clinical nurses. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires, which included a Moral Competence Scale for Home Care Nurses. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were computed for the dataset using STATA version 12.0. ETHICAL CONSIDERATION: The study protocol complied with all ethical requirements and was approved by the College of Medicine Research Ethics Committee under the University of Malawi. RESULTS: The clinical nurses in Malawi are ethically competent. However, there is a significantly high number (p < 0.05) of nurses 57% (n = 135) with low ethical competence. There was no significant association between respondents' demographic variables and level of ethical competence (p > 0.05). Three determinants of high ethical competence level (strong will, judgement skills and recognition of discrepancy of intention) were identified through a reduced model after stepwise logistic regression analysis. Furthermore, results show that indicators of ethical competence include caring, confidentiality and observance of nurses dressing code. The study has also confirmed that the Moral Competence Scale for Home Care Nurses is a reliable tool to assess ethical competence in low-resource settings. CONCLUSION: The majority of nurses who completed the survey had low ethical competence. However, clinical nurses with high ethical competence level are required to competently manage complex ethical challenges in health facilities. Strategies for enhancing ethical competence such as continuing ethics education, establishment of ethics committees and provision of supportive supervision are recommended to enable nurses in Malawi attain a high level of ethical competence.

The effects of grit and resilience on moral competence following simulated combat exposure.

Individuals exposed to combat-like environments are often challenged with moral conflict. The scientific investigation of moral competence on adverse environments is limited, although soldier narratives have shown how, in combat, military personnel must face challenging moral dilemmas. Additionally, the impact of grit and resilience on moral competence following combat-like environments is unknown. Recruiting 107 participants from a private US Military university, this study investigated the impact of moral competence, including the moderating effects of grit and resilience, following exposure to combat-like environments. To simulate a combat-like environment, participants were placed in either an immersive (i.e., Bravemind) or non-immersive (i.e., Virtual Battlespace 3) environment. Self-reported resilience, grit, and moral competence were measured using Resilience Scale for Adults, the Grit Scale, and the Moral Competence Test, respectively. Findings showed that following exposure to simulated combat-like environments, moral competence scores were higher in participants exposed to combat-like environments. Furthermore, results revealed a main effect of grit on moral competence, suggesting that grit could have functioned as a buffer following simulated combat. These findings can provide a richer understanding of how, following combat-like environments, moral competence can be impacted and how grit and resilience can help protect the ability to successfully face moral dilemmas.

What Morality and Religion have in Common with Health? Pedagogy of Religion in the Formation of Moral Competence.

The aim of the article is to discuss how pedagogy of religion can contribute to the formation of moral competence and how this competence is in turn conducive to a new quality of life. Such analysis seems to be extremely important for modern educational theory. There are controversies concerning the role of morality in human life and its relationship with religion, and at the same time there is an increasing body of research that highlights the place and importance of religion in the formation of healthy individuals and societies. At the same time, the problem of the relationship between morality, religion and health is by no means new. The biblical writers already pointed out the connection between good and life, and between evil and death on the other hand. Both health and illness were taken to have their physical, inner, and spiritual dimensions. While Kulikova and Malchukova (2019) review the pedagogical and psychological subject literature, they lack references to the pedagogy of religion as a scientific discipline. This article aims to outline the Christian perspective on the formation of moral competence and its relationship with human health, understood as physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being. The understanding of this relationships is built on anthropological and transcendent foundations. Christian anthropological perspective means the acceptance of the so-called "personalistic norm." Christian transcendent framework of moral education refers to the divine reality of the only God, the Creator and Redeemer of man. Moral competence is the result of moral education, which aims at engaging all human faculties-reason, emotions, and will-in discovering, accepting and internalizing values. One way of fostering moral competence based on the pedagogy of religion is to use the principles of the so-called pedagogy of accompaniment and testimony.

Preferencia hacia la justicia restaurativa y retributiva y su relación con el nivel de competencia moral / Preference towards restorative and retributive justice and its relation to the level of moral competence

Resumen Este artículo propone identificar la relación entre la preferencia hacia uno de dos tipos de justicia (retributiva y restaurativa) y el nivel de competencia moral en estudiantes universitarios. Se trabajó con una muestra por conveniencia de 120 estudiantes de psicología (93 mujeres y 27 hombres) de 16 a 46 años de edad (M = 19.53, DE = 3.17). Se diseñó y validó la Escala de Preferencia hacia la Justicia Restaurativa/Retributiva, y se aplicó el Test de Juicio Moral. Los resultados muestran que los estudiantes presentan una preferencia por la justicia restaurativa, a la vez que evidencian niveles bajos a medios en su competencia moral. Se obtuvo una correlación estadísticamente significativa entre nivel de competencia moral y la preferencia hacia la justicia tanto restaurativa como retributiva para solo uno de los dilemas morales analizados (médico vs. trabajador). Se discuten los resultados asumiendo que el tipo de evento transgresor analizado afecta de forma significativa el índice de competencia moral y la preferencia hacia un tipo de justicia específico. La preferencia tiende hacia la justicia restaurativa con respecto a la justicia retributiva; esta preferencia no se ve influenciada por el sexo o haber sido víctima de un delito.

Abstract In this paper, we aim to identify the relationship between the preference towards one of two types of justice (retributive justice and restorative justice) and the level of moral competence in university students. A convenience sample of 120 Psychology students (93 women and 27 men) aged 16-46 (M=19.53, SD=3.17) participated in this correlational design. The "Preference Scale Towards Restorative/Retributive Justice" was designed and validated and the "Moral Judgement Test" was applied. Results suggest that most students lean towards restorative justice and have low to medium levels of moral competence. We found a positive and statistically significant correlation between moral competence and preference for restorative and retributive justice for one of the analyzed dilemmas (doctor vs. worker). Results are discussed assuming that the type of transgressing event significantly affects moral competence index and favorability toward a specific type of justice. The preference tends toward restorative justice than retributive justice; this preference is not influenced by sex or having been the victim of a crime.

The Role of Sports Practice in Young Adolescent Development of Moral Competence.

The study examined the moral competence levels in adolescents participating in individual/team sports compared with those not undertaking sports at all. In total, 827 students aged 15-17 years old (45.4% boys, 54.6% girls) from randomly selected secondary schools in the Wielkopolska region in Poland participated in the study. The moral competences were assessed using the Lind's Moral Competence Test. The students also answered questions concerning their statues of involvement in sport (not involved; amateur; professional), years of involvement, and the type of sport they partook in (individual/team). The results highlight that the moral competence level in most of the examined adolescents (71.6% girls, 76.8% boys) was low. Those who presented a high moral competence level were 10.4% in girls, 8% in boys. There was no interaction between modes of involvement in sport and moral competence when comparing adolescents. The moral competence levels were not correlated with years of training in either mode of involvement or with type of sports. Therefore, we assume that, at this age, the type of sport and the level of engagement do not differentiate moral competence level and that there must be more factors contributing to this. This opens new directions for further research on the role of external factors stimulating the socio-moral growth of youth.

Moral competence and conduct disorder among Filipino children in conflict with the law.

AIMS: The numbers of children in conflict with the law continue to rise in Asia, yet few studies have been conducted regarding factors associated with it. It has been theorized that children with conduct disorder represent majority of children in conflict with the law, and that poor moral competence mediates the association between conduct disorder and antisocial behavior. This study aimed to present a profile of Filipino children in conflict with the law, determine the prevalence of conduct disorder in the sample, and investigate variables associated with conduct disorder. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at a conflict with the law Custodial Care Center in the Philippines. The procedure entailed a diagnostic interview and questionnaire administration conducted by psychiatrists. Questionnaires administered included the Moral Competence Test and Parental Warmth and Acceptance Scale. Statistical analyses of data included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and independent t tests. SPSS v.23.0 was used for data encoding and analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-three participants were included in the study, with 10 participants with conduct disorder and 13 controls. Majority were male adolescents between the ages of 16 and 18 years. Conduct disorder was associated with commission of multiple violations, particularly theft and homicide, the presence of a substance use disorder, and a history of abuse. Participants with conduct disorder had lower moral competence levels compared to participants without conduct disorder. CONCLUSION: Conduct disorder was associated with high-risk antisocial behavior and lower levels of moral competence.

Exploring moral problems and moral competences in midwifery: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Most undergraduate midwifery curricula comprise ethics courses to strengthen the moral competences of future midwives. By contrast, surprisingly little is known about the specific moral competences considered to be relevant for midwifery practice. Describing these competences not only depends on generic assumptions about the moral nature of midwifery practice but also reflects which issues practitioners themselves classify as moral. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to gain insight into the ethical issues midwives encounter in their daily work, the key competences and resources they consider indispensable to understand and deal with them, and to assess phenomena linked to moral distress. METHODS: We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with eight midwives and two other health professionals, varying in terms of years of experience and work setting. Interview transcripts were analyzed in an interdisciplinary research group, following thematic analysis. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: This study was not subject to approval according to the Swiss Law on Research with Humans. Participants were informed about the study goals and gave written informed consent prior to participation. RESULTS: External constraints limiting the midwife's and the patient's autonomy and resulting interpersonal conflicts were found to be the most relevant ethical issues encountered in clinical practice and were most often associated with moral distress. These conflicts often arise in the context of medical interventions midwives consider as not appropriate and situations in which less experienced midwives in particular observe a lack of both interprofessional communication and trust in their professional competence. Ethical issues related to late abortions or prenatal diagnostics and selective abortions were also frequently addressed, but many midwives involved had learned to cope with them. DISCUSSION: In the light of the ethical issues and factors contributing to phenomena of moral distress, an empirically grounded profile of moral competences is drafted. Curricular implications in the light of possible adaptations within undergraduate midwifery education are critically discussed.

Moral competence among nurses in Malawi: A concept analysis approach.

BACKGROUND: Nurses are expected to provide comprehensive, holistic and ethically accepted care according to their code of ethics and practice. However, in Malawi, this is not always the case. This article analyses moral competence concept using the Walker and Avant's strategy of concept analysis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to analyse moral competence concept in relation to nursing practice and determine defining attributes, antecedents and consequences of moral competence in nursing practice. METHOD: Analysis of moral competence concept was done using Walker and Avant's strategy of concept analysis. RESULTS: Deductive analysis was used to find the defining attributes of moral competence, which were kindness, compassion, caring, critical thinking, ethical decision making ability, problem solving, responsibility, discipline, accountability, communication, solidarity, honesty, and respect for human values, dignity and rights. The identified antecedents were personal, cultural and religious values; nursing ethics training, environment and guidance. The consequences of moral competence are team work spirit, effective communication, improved performance and positive attitudes in providing nursing care. CONCLUSION: Moral competence can therefore be used as a tool to improve care in nursing practice to meet patients' problems and needs and consequently increase public's satisfaction in Malawi.

Peer influence in bullying: The autonomy-enhancing effect of moral competence.

Research has found that moral competence is negatively associated with bullying behavior in schools, but the drivers of this association are not yet well understood. In this paper, we report on two studies which suggest that moral competence acts as a moderator of peer influence in the context of school bullying. Data were collected at two time points in three German higher secondary schools (grades 7-10, average age at measurement: 14.26 years). Using a cross-lagged panel design (CLPD), study 1 (N = 251) found adolescents with low moral competence to be susceptible to peer influence, while no such effect was found for adolescents with high moral competence. Study 2, a cross-sectional analysis (N = 748), found moral competence to be inversely related to the likelihood of an individual's conforming with the pro-bullying behavior of his or her peers. Neither study found corresponding effects for pro-social, defending behavior. Our findings further illuminate the associations between moral competence, peer influence, and school bullying. Some implications for bullying prevention are discussed.

Principle-based structured case discussions: do they foster moral competence in medical students? - A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Recent findings suggest that medical students' moral competence decreases throughout medical school. This pilot study gives preliminary insights into the effects of two educational interventions in ethics classes on moral competence among medical students in Munich, Germany. METHODS: Between 2012 and 2013, medical students were tested using Lind's Moral Competence Test (MCT) prior to and after completing different ethics classes. The experimental group (EG, N = 76) participated in principle-based structured case discussions (PBSCDs) and was compared with a control group with theory-based case discussions (TBCDs) (CG, N = 55). The pre/post C-scores were compared using a Wilcoxon Test, ANOVA and effect-size calculation. RESULTS: The C-score improved by around 3.2 C-points in the EG, and by 0.2 C-points in the CG. The mean C-score difference was not statistically significant for the EG (P = 0.14) or between the two groups (P = 0.34). There was no statistical significance for the teachers' influence (P = 0.54) on C-score. In both groups, students with below-average (M = 29.1) C-scores improved and students with above-average C-scores regressed. The increase of the C-Index was greater in the EG than in the CG. The absolute effect-size of the EG compared with the CG was 3.0 C-points, indicating a relevant effect. CONCLUSION: Teaching ethics with PBSCDs did not provide a statistically significant influence on students' moral competence, compared with TBCDs. Yet, the effect size suggests that PBSCDs may improve moral competence among medical students more effectively. Further research with larger and completely randomized samples is needed to gain definite explanations for the results.

Use of Foul Language Among Chinese Adolescents: Developmental Change and Relations With Psychosocial Competences.

PURPOSE: The use of foul language becomes increasingly popular among youth, yet scientific research on this topic is grossly missing in the literature. This longitudinal study examined the developmental change of foul language use and its relations to emotional competence, social competence, and moral competence over high school years. METHODS: Data were from a six-year longitudinal study between grade 7 and grade 12 with an annual assessment on 3,328 Hong Kong adolescents (mean age = 12.59 ± .74 years). Multiple-group latent growth curve modeling based on six waves of longitudinal data were conducted. RESULTS: Results showed that the use of foul language increased, but the increase rate slowed down over time; males showed faster increase rate yet faster deceleration than did females. In addition, changes in emotional competence, social competence, and moral competence negatively predicted the change in use of foul language across males and females, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents are vulnerable to increasing their use of foul language. However, promoting emotional competence, social competence, and moral competence could be helpful to minimize the increasing trend of use of foul language.

Moral competence and brain connectivity: A resting-state fMRI study.

Moral competence (MC) refers to the ability to apply certain moral orientations in a consistent and differentiated manner when judging moral issues. People greatly differ in terms of MC, however, little is known about how these differences are implemented in the brain. To investigate this question, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging and examined resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) in n=31 individuals with MC scores in the highest 15% of the population and n=33 individuals with MC scores in the lowest 15%, selected from a large sample of 730 Master of Business Administration (MBA) students. Compared to individuals with lower MC, individuals with higher MC showed greater amygdala-ventromedial prefrontal connectivity, which may reflect better ability to cope with emotional conflicts elicited by moral dilemmas. Moreover, individuals with higher MC showed less inter-network connectivity between the amygdalar and fronto-parietal networks, suggesting a more independent operation of these networks. Our findings provide novel insights into how individual differences in moral judgment are associated with RSFC in brain circuits related to emotion processing and cognitive control.