Conditional covariation of binge drinking with predictors of college students' cheating

Abstract

Recent research has identified a variety of significant predictors of academic dishonesty, but virtually no studies have examined the conditional relation of binge drinking and students' cheating. Using a survey sample of 289 college students, this study tested the mediating relations of binge drinking with the correlation of independent variables - including opportunity, strain, and self-control - on self-reported academic dishonesty. Low self-control had a stronger correlation with students' cheating behaviors for those who were heavy binge drinkers (β = -.52) than for students who were nonbingers (β = -.38). Differential relations were found for other key variables, namely, opportunity and strain, at varying severities of binge drinking.