The Effects of COVID-19 Quarantine on Online Exam Cheating: A Test of COVID-19 Theoretical Framework

Abstract

This study aims to quantitatively test the newly developed theoretical framework model for the relationship between COVID-19, stress, anxiety, and university students' online exam cheating in the United States of America during COVID-19. The newly developed model primarily explains how COVID-19 quarantine influences university students' levels of anxiety and stress, and therefore, influences the frequency of online exam cheating behavior among college students. The researcher collected primary data of 251 male and female university students in the United States of America via Survey Monkey and tested the six hypotheses using the structural modeling equation technique. The study results confirm that COVID-19 quarantine has a significant relationship with stress and anxiety. The relationship between COVID-19 quarantine and stress is more significant than the relationship between COVID-19 quarantine and anxiety. The results also validate the significant and positive relationship between COVID-19 quarantine and stress and COVID-19 quarantine and anxiety. COVID-19 quarantine causes more anxiety than stress among university students, influencing students' behavior to cheat more on online exams. Theoretically, this study Translates a qualitative research question from a prior study that developed the COVID-19 theoretical framework into an accurate prediction of anticipated outcomes. This study also develops a conceptual framework for the relationship between COVID-19, anxiety, stress, and online exam cheating. Besides, this study refined six hypotheses from previously generated propositions. Finally, the study results could be used as general guidelines for university educators and administrators when thinking and deciding on exams, assignments, and how to monitor online exams.