Influence of Socioeconomic Status and Family Struc...

Influence of Socioeconomic Status and Family Structure on Students’ Examination Malpractice Tendencies Among Undergraduate Students of Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the influence of parental socioeconomic status (SES) and family structure on examination-malpractice tendencies among undergraduate students in Cross River State, Nigeria. The research covered a population of 5,898 students, with a purposive sample of 610 drawn from a selected tertiary institution in Calabar. A structured questionnaire (PSSFAEMTQ) was used for data collection; face-content validity and Cronbach’s Alpha reliability (SES = 0.75, family structure = 0.71, malpractice tendencies = 0.79) were established. Hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. Results showed no significant relationship between parents’ SES and students’ malpractice tendencies, but family structure had a high significant influence. The study concludes that while SES does not directly predict cheating, family structure significantly shapes students’ involvement in examination malpractice through pressure to succeed, access to resources, and moral upbringing. Recommendations include mentoring by high-SES parents, guiding course choices, and increased supervision and monitoring by parents, especially in monogamous homes.

Introduction

Parental socioeconomic status (SES) and family structure are widely recognized as key determinants of students’ academic behavior, including their propensity to engage in examination malpractice. Higher SES often translates into greater access to educational resources, yet it can also generate intense pressure to excel, prompting some students to resort to cheating as a coping strategy. Conversely, students from lower-SES backgrounds may face financial constraints and limited academic support, which can similarly increase the temptation to cheat. Family structure further shapes a student’s moral development and supervision. Monogamous households may offer more consistent parental involvement, while polygamous, single-parent, or divorced families can experience fragmented support and varying levels of monitoring. These differing family dynamics influence the values and discipline that students internalize, thereby affecting their attitudes toward academic integrity. Despite extensive research on examination malpractice at the secondary-school level, there is a gap in understanding how these socioeconomic and family-structure factors specifically impact undergraduate students in Cross River State, Nigeria. This study therefore seeks to fill that void by investigating the influence of parental SES and family structure on examination-malpractice tendencies among university undergraduates in the region.