Investigating the Relationship between the Dark Triad of Personality Traits and Moral Intelligence with Academic Dishonesty among Students in Lorestan University
akhlāq-i pizishkī i.e., Medical Ethics,
Vol. 20 (1405),
13 July 2026
,
Page 1-18
https://doi.org/10.22037/mej.v20i.52142
Abstract
Background and Aim: Academic dishonesty refers to any deliberate act intended to deceive in the presentation of academic assignments. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between the dark triad of personality traits and moral intelligence with academic dishonesty among students of Lorestan University.
Methods: The research method is a descriptive-correlational survey method. The statistical population comprised all undergraduate students enrolled at Lorestan University during the 2024-25 academic year, of which 250 were selected as the research sample using proportional stratified sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires including dark triad personality traits (Jonason and Webster, 2010), moral intelligence (Lennick and Kiel, 2011) and academic dishonesty (McCabe and Trevino, 1997). Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple stepwise regression analysis in IBM SPSS Statistics 26.
Ethical Considerations: In the present study, ethical considerations such as voluntary participation, informed consent, confidentiality of information and participants' right to withdraw from the study without consequences were observed. The participants were free to respond to the questionnaires.
Results: The findings showed a positive, significant but weak relationship between the dark triad of personality traits and academic dishonesty (r=0.22, P<0/001) and a significant negative relationship between moral intelligence and dishonesty (r=-0.44, p<0.05). The results of regression analysis showed that the dark triad of personality traits and moral intelligence explained 41 percent of the variance in academic dishonesty.
Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that dark triad personality traits and moral intelligence are associated with students' academic dishonesty. It is recommended that university counseling and mental health centers offer workshops to inform students about the role of the dark triad of personality traits and moral intelligence in academic dishonesty.
- Academic Dishonesty
- Narcissism
- Machiavellianism
- Psychopathy
- Dark Triad Personality Traits
- Moral Intelligence
How to Cite
References
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