Family processes as predictors of adolescents' preferences for ascribed sources of moral authority: a proposed model

This paper develops a model of the family's role in the moralization of the adolescent. To achieve this aim, the Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems (Olson, Sprenkle, & Russell, 1979; Olson, 1983) provides the theoretical framework needed to identify levels of adaptability, cohesion, and communication within each family system. Once identified, these family processes are treated as possible predictors of certain moral preferences, in particular, the number and type of sources of moral authority held by the adolescent. The notion "source of moral authority" is based on Henry's (1983) reconceptualization of Kohlberg's stage theory of moral judgments. In light of this, a new measure, the Moral Authority Scale (MAS) has been developed to assess such adolescent preferences for different sources of moral authority. Overall, this unique approach identifies salient family processes as influencing adolescent moral reasoning by drawing together systems theory, cognitive developmental, and psychosocial approaches and generating testable predictions. In so doing, research needs and inadequacies of the current literature are highlighted and possible strategies to overcome such problems are explicated.