Ethos: An Original Moral Dilemma Computer Game and the Testing of its Content Validity

Juvenile delinquency continues to plague American society. There are several established and effective counseling interventions which address the psychological and behavioral origins of adolescents. dysfunctional beliefs and behavior choices. Moral dilemma discussions groups have been shown to be an effective intervention in improving the levels of moral development for adolescent offenders. At times, moral dilemma discussion groups have not only increased the levels of moral reasoning for group participants, but also assisted in the improvement of their overall behavior. In addition, computer-based instruction has been proven through repeated rigorous analyses as an effective teaching method. Interactive simulated gaming has also recently been utilized to expand the field of computer-based learning. This research tests the content validity of an original computer-based behavioral intervention, Ethos, which is intended to serve as a simulated moral dilemma with the future purpose of increasing game players. levels of moral reasoning. A panel of four experts reviewed Ethos and unanimously determined that it has the necessary qualities to be considered an effective moral dilemma. This research is innovative in laying the foundation for computer-based behavioral interventions being available as effective counseling tools.