The Role of Self-presentation of Low Achievement, Academic Pressure, and Home-University Dissonance on Academic Cheating Among Medical Students

Background: Academic cheating has been a persistent problem in educational settings. This problem is a potential risk factor in medicine and other fields related to human health. Objectives: The present study aimed to identify the specific roles of self-presentation of low achievement, academic press, and home-university dissonance in the academic cheating behavior of medical students to provide insights into this complex issue. Methods: This study was descriptive and correlational, and the statistical population included all medical students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 2022 - 2023. The statistical sample of 372 students was selected using stratified random sampling. The variables of academic cheating behavior, academic pressure, home-university dissonance, and self-presentation of low achievement were measured through the subscales of the PALS Scale by Midgley et al. instrument. The data were analyzed using independent t-test, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis using the enter method. Results: Based on the results, the variables of home-university dissonance (0.39), academic pressure (0.14), and self-presentation of low achievement (0.33) had a significant correlation coefficient with academic cheating behavior (P < 0.01). Examining the gender difference in academic cheating behavior showed that male students engage in cheating behavior significantly more than female students ) t = 3.71, P < 0.001(. Regression results showed that self-presentation of low achievement and home-university dissonance are meaningful predictors of academic cheating behavior; the predictor variables were able to explain 17% of the variance of academic cheating at the level of 0.001 (F = 27.01, P < 0.001). Conclusions: This study has implications that are not only theoretical but also practical. To effectively reduce medical students’ academic cheating, we must address their academic performance, their motivational factors, and the disharmony between their living and educational environments. This understanding can guide the development of interventions to curb academic cheating.