Reconsidering of Items of Defining Issues Test（DIT), a Questionnaire for Moral Development and Difference between Nursing Students and Students of other Faculties

Abstract

　The purpose of this study was to add items of new way of thinking to Heinz’s story of DIT：Defining Issues Test that was made by Rest and has been used widely as a questionnaire that can assess Kohlberg’s stages of moral development and to examine difference of replies between three faculties. Items of new way of thinking were 1）consideration of other method and 2）consideration of the rest of one’s life. Participants were 239 freshmen who major in nursing science, medical science and sports science. They were asked to assess the importance of eleven and added two items and to select important items the first to the third.

　The main results were as follows：1）Factor analysis showed that new two items were not included in any factors. 2） Two items, especially item of consideration of other method, were assessed as important. 3）Items of way of thinking assessed as important differed in three faculties. 4）Nursing students assessed items of consideration of the rest of one’s life as important but medical students didn’t. It showed necessity to examine whether consideration of the rest of one’s life derives from Japanese culture or is related to majoring in nursing science, and to examine how such way of thinking is considered from the viewpoint of moral development.