Desonestidade nos trabalhos escolares: Dados de um estudo português

Abstract

This study was aimed at examining the prevalence and changes in cheating, from middle childhood until late adolescence. For this purpose, two cohorts of students were followed up across adolescence, and their academic cheating was assessed at different time points. Results showed that self-reported academic dishonesty increased with age and school grade. In the secondary school, the large majority of students reported cheating once or twice during previous year. However, only a small number has done that several times or in a consistent way, across all assessment periods. Systematic differences, between students who reported cheating and those who did not, were found only in antisocial behaviour and substance use. These findings suggest that academic cheating is just another different manifestation of a common underlying antisocial tendency or trait. However, in addition to that, several other situational and individual factors may contribute to the explanation of academic cheating, in these ages.