Investigation of the Validity and Reliability of the Nursing Student Perceptions of Dishonesty Scale

Background: Academic honesty is a particularly important characteristic for individuals preparing to become professional healthcare providers. It has been established that students who engage in unethical behaviors during their academic careers may continue these behaviors in their professional lives. Therefore, it is important to determine nursing students’ perceptions of academic dishonesty, develop effective ethical policies, and implement preventive measures against this issue.

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate whether the Nursing Student Perceptions of Dishonesty Scale is a valid and reliable tool for the Turkish language and culture.

Methods: This methodological study was conducted with a total of 368 second-, third-, and fourth-year students at the Faculty of Health Sciences. Data were collected using the “Student Introductory Questionnaire,” the “Nursing Student Perceptions of Dishonesty Scale,” and the “Academic Dishonesty Tendency Scale.” Data evaluation involved analyses for language validity, content validity, criterion validity, construct validity, stability, and internal consistency.

Results: Content validity indexes were calculated, with values for all items ranging from 0.80 to 1.00. To assess criterion-related validity of the scale, the Pearson Correlation coefficient was computed between the total scores of the “Cheating” subscale of the Nursing Student Perceptions of Dishonesty Scale and those of the “Cheating” subscale of the Academic Dishonesty Tendency Scale, used as a criterion measure. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to ensure construct validity. The goodness-of-fit values of the scale were as follows: χ2/sd (Chi-square/df) = 4.11, Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.91, Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = 0.91, and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.09. The correlation coefficient obtained was rxy = 0.61, with a p-value of 0.00. In the test-retest analyses aimed at establishing stability reliability, Pearson correlation coefficients for the subscales ranged from 0.72 to 0.92. Additionally, Cronbach’s α coefficients for the subscales ranged from 0.70 to 0.97. These results indicate that the scale meets the required standards for validity and reliability.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the Nursing Student Perceptions of Dishonesty Scale was found to be a valid and reliable tool for use in Turkish society.