Human Rights Education through the 'Facing History and Ourselves' Program

This study examined the effects of the Facing History and Ourselves (FHAO) human rights program on moral development and psychological functioning. The FHAO curriculum significantly increased 8th grade students' moral reasoning (Rest's 1979 Defining Issues Test) without adversely impacting on their psychological wellbeing (scores on depression, hopelessness or self-worth inventories). Girls were more empathic and had higher levels of social interest; boys had higher global self-worth scores; there were no differences between boys and girls in their moral reasoning scores and no gender differences in the psychological impact of the course. This study adds to the literature which suggests that human rights education positively affects students' moral development.