AI Insight
This study surveyed 1,333 Maltese students in Years 7 and 8 to examine their value priorities and value-related responses during early adolescence. Participants generally showed strong support for prosocial principles when rating value importance, but reported more varied responses when asked about specific behaviors like admitting mistakes, challenging unfair treatment, and responding to online harm. Gender was the most consistent demographic factor associated with differences in responses, though these effects were small in magnitude.
Why it matters
The research provides insight into early adolescent value development in a small-state context, identifying areas where young people's expressed values align well with prosocial principles and situations where they may need additional support in translating values into action. These findings could inform educational programs and interventions targeting character development during this formative developmental period.
Understand the Science
BackgroundEarly adolescence is an important period for value development, yet large-scale values research has focused mainly on adults or older adolescents. Evidence concerning younger adolescents, particularly in small-state contexts, remains limited.ObjectiveThis study examined item-level patterns of value endorsement and related responses by Year 7 and Year 8 students in Malta. It also explored differences by gender, school sector, country of birth and religious affiliation.MethodsTwo age-appropriate cross-sectional surveys were completed by 718 Year 7 students and 615 Year 8 students through voluntary, school-mediated samples. Responses were analyzed at item level using descriptive and exploratory inferential analyses, with effect sizes used to assess the magnitude of subgroup differences.ResultsValue-importance and normative-attitude items generally elicited strong support for prosocial principles. Responses were more varied on some self-reported behavior and scenario-based items, particularly those concerning admitting mistakes, challenging unfair treatment and responding to online harm. Gender was the most consistent subgroup correlate, although reported effects were small or very small and response distributions overlapped substantially.ConclusionThe findings describe favorable responses to many prosocial principles among the participating students and identify contexts in which reported action or intended action was less uniform. They do not establish nationally representative prevalence, equivalent latent value structures across demographic groups, or a direct relationship between values and observed behavior.