Abstract

This study explored the influence of personal values and identity on academic dishonesty among secondary school students in the Ibadan metropolis. Concerning the alarming rate of academic dishonesty in higher institutions, it has been established that charity begins at home, and therefore, the problem does not have its root at the university level but its history among secondary school students. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey research design using a sample size of 294 secondary school students. The six hypotheses generated were tested with appropriate statistical tools and the results are presented. Results showed that personal value had a significant influence on academic dishonesty among secondary school students [t (268) = 8.173; P<.01].it was found that participants with a low identity score were significantly higher on academic dishonesty compared with those who are high on identity [t (268) =14.405; P<.01]. Further, the results showed that personal values and identity jointly predicted about 60.8% of the variance in academic dishonesty among secondary school students (R =.780; R2=.608; F (2,267) =206.944; P<.01). Sex had no significant influence on academic dishonesty among secondary school students in Ibadan [t (268) =-1.034; P>.05]. Age had no significant influence on academic dishonesty [t (268) =.546; P>.05]. A significant negative relationship exists between personal value and academic dishonesty (r=-.699; P<.01), identity and academic dishonesty (r=-.776; P<.01) only age has no significant relationship with academic dishonesty among secondary school students in Ibadan (r = -.032; P>.05). It was concluded that personal value and identity had a significant influence on academic dishonesty among secondary school students. However, personal values and identity jointly predicted academic dishonesty among secondary school students and no age and gender difference in academic dishonesty among students. The study, therefore, recommended that educational administrators, psychologists, school counsellors, teachers and parents foster activities that can help children, adolescents, and youths develop good personal values and identity through teachings, moral stories and observational learning and punishment for all dishonest behaviour apart from academics.