The Relationship between Self-control, Self-effectiveness, Academic Performance and Tendency towards Academic Cheating: A Case Report of a University Survey in Iran

The tendency towards academic cheating is a universal concern and every year much research has been carried out on this matter. The tendency towards academic cheating occurs in public and private educational institution. Even universities and higher education faculties are concern on this matter. Research shows that self-control is related to tendency academic cheating. The research regarding tendency academic cheating in Iran is not well developed, so there is an essential need to investigate the tendency towards academic cheating in universities as well as to determine the relationship between selfcontrol, self-effectiveness and academic performance with tendency academic cheating amongst the students of a university in Iran. A randomly selected group of students (N = 286: 211 female and 75 male) participated in the survey in 2008. The survey tools consisted of academic cheating tendency scale, self-control, self-effectiveness scale and an academic performance based on average mark of the previous semester. Regression analysis revealed that there was a significant multiple correlation between predictor variables (self-control, selfeffectiveness and academic performance with tendency academic cheating (R = 0/400, P ≤ 0/0001). These predictors explained 160% standard variable variance. Self-control, self-effectiveness and academic performance also significantly explained the variance of tendency towards academic cheating. A negative correlation was found between self-control, self-effectiveness and academic achievement. Thus, in order to decrease the act of cheating amongst university students, measures should be taken into account by selecting suitable teaching methods and learning activities, so that self-control and selfeffectiveness will be promoted.