Moral competence in Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong

This six-wave longitudinal study in Project P.A.T.H.S. examined the growth trajectories and predictors of moral competence in Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. Linear mixed models utilizing individual growth curves and prototypical values/plots were used to analyze the initial status and rate of change of moral competence with reference to gender, economic disadvantage, family intactness, family functioning and parent-child subsystem quality. Results showed that adolescent moral competence increased across six years. Female adolescents had higher initial moral competence than that of male adolescents. Adolescents from well functioned families had higher initial moral competence but slower growth of moral competence than did those from families with relatively lower family functioning. Adolescents with higher mother-child subsystem quality had a higher initial moral competence but slower growth of moral competence than did those with relatively lower mother-child subsystem quality. Finally, adolescents with higher father-child subsystem quality had a higher initial moral competence than those with relatively lower father-child subsystem quality.