Content and structure of values among iranian adolescents

Subject Areas : روان درمانگری

Mohammad T. Delkhamoush ¹ , Mehrnaz A. Mobarakeh ²

1 - Islamic Azad University South Tehran Branch
2 - PhD Islamic Azad University South Tehran Branch

Received: 2015-06-03 Accepted : 2015-06-03 Published : 2011-09-23

Keywords: adolescents, Values, Schwartz's value theory, Portrait Value Questionnaire, smallest space analysis,

Abstract :

The purpose of this study was to examine the meaning and structural relations of values among Iranian adolescents. The Portrait Value Questionnaire (PVQ; Schwartz et al., 2001) was administered to 1532 students (766 females, 766 males) in eighth- and eleventh- grades (age groups 14 and 17, respectively) who were selected equally from six educational districts of Tehran using stratified random sampling. The Smallest Space Analysis (SSA) technique was performed to analyze the structure and content constellations of values. Findings indicated that the content and structure of human values among Iranian adolescents were widely consistent with the universal theoretical model of values proposed by Schwartz (1992). There were no sex differences in defining the meaning and structuring of values. However, some variations of the expected model were observed. The location of benevolence value type was not consistent with the prototypical structure of values, and the dynamic relation between the "self-transcendence" and "self-enhancement" higher-order values was violated. These modified structures represents Iranian adolescents' specific characteristics (culture index). The present study suggested some controversial findings regarding the nature of moral values in Iranian adolescents.