Academic Dishonesty and Problematic Internet Use: Mediating Role of Cognitive Emotion Regulation in Adolescents

Daneshpayeh, Moslem; Masoudi, Narges; Shahsavari, Fatemeh; Dortaj, Zohreh; Ghaemi, Farahnaz

doi:10.22034/iepa.2026.572415.1583

Academic Dishonesty and Problematic Internet Use: Mediating Role of Cognitive Emotion Regulation in Adolescents

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Moslem Daneshpayeh ¹

Narges Masoudi ²

Fatemeh Shahsavari ³

Zohreh Dortaj ⁴

Farahnaz Ghaemi ⁵

¹ Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran.

² Department of Psychology, Faculty of Iranian–Islamic Lifestyle, Islamic Revolution Comprehensive University, Tehran, Iran.

³ MSc of Counseling and Guidance, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran.

⁴ MD, Tehran, Iran

⁵ Department of Microbiology, Kerman Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22034/iepa.2026.572415.1583

Abstract

Objective: The main purpose of present study was to explain academic dishonesty among senior high school students in Eqlid based on problematic Internet use, with mediating role of adaptive and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies.
Method: This study employed a descriptive-correlational design. The sample consisted of 385 senior high school students from Eqlid. Participants were selected using an availability sampling method during the 2024–2025 academic year. Data collection instruments included the Academic Dishonesty Questionnaire (McCabe & Trevino, 1996), Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (Kaplan, 2002; revised format, 2010), and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Garnefski & Kraaij, 2006). The collected data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) along SPSS and Amos software packages.
Results: The results of the present study confirmed a direct and positive effect of problematic Internet use on academic dishonesty and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (p<.001, β =-.538; p<.001 β= - .308). Another finding indicated a direct and negative relationship between problematic internet use and adaptive emotion regulation strategies (p<.001, β =-.313). Overall, the findings suggest that problematic internet use enhances academic dishonesty in adolescents both directly and indirectly by weakening emotion regulation adaptive strategies and strengthening maladaptive ones. These results emphasize the necessity of considering the role of emotion regulation strategies in future preventative programs.
Conclusions: With regard to the findings of this study, educational counselors and therapists should pay attention to the role of problematic Internet use, as well as maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies, in their interventions aimed at reducing academic dishonesty among students and adolescents. Furthermore, the necessity of teaching adaptive emotion regulation strategies to students, holds significant importance in this context.

Keywords

Academic dishonesty

Problematic internet use(PIU),

Maladaptive emotion regulation strategies

Adaptive emotion regulation strategies

Subjects

School Psychology

Abousaedi Jirofti, S., Nemati Sogolitappeh, F., Hashemi Nosrat Abad, T., & Taleblu, M. J. S. P. R. (2024). The relationship between shame and problematic use of the Internet; The mediating role of impulsivity and maladaptive emotion regulation. Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory, 8(6), 113-125. https://doi.org/10.22034/spr.2024.442601.1920

Ahmadi, M., Safaei, I., & hamdani pour, Z. (2025). The relationship between social anxiety and problematic smartphone use among elite student athletes: The Mediating role of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies. (e238450). Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory, 8(29), e238450. https://doi.org/10.22034/iepa.2026.560112.1554

Ahmadpour, J., Asghari, S., Soltanian, A., Mohammadi, Y., & Poorolajal, J. (2018). Evaluation of validity and reliability of Persian version of Problematic Internet Use (PIU) questionnaire.

Aldao, A., Jazaieri, H., Goldin, P. R., & Gross, J. J. J. J. o. a. d. (2014). Adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies: Interactive effects during CBT for social anxiety disorder. Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory, 8(4), 382-389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.03.005

Amendola, S., Spensieri, V., Guidetti, V., & Cerutti, R. J. J. o. P. (2019). The relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and dysfunctional technology use among adolescents. Frontiers in Psychology, 25(1), 10-17. https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1231956

Armanyous, C., & Paparo, J. J. J. o. A. E. (2024). The influence of trait mindfulness and self-regulatory efficacy on academic cheating intention. 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-024-09559-y

Baumeister, R. F., André, N., Southwick, D. A., & Tice, D. M. J. C. O. i. P. (2024). Self-control and limited willpower: Current status of ego depletion theory and research. Frontiers in Psychology, 60, 101882. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2024.101882

Blanke, E. S., Brose, A., Kalokerinos, E. K., Erbas, Y., Riediger, M., & Kuppens, P. J. E. (2020). Mix it to fix it: Emotion regulation variability in daily life. 20(3), 473. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/emo0000566

Bour, C., Ahne, A., Schmitz, S., Perchoux, C., Dessenne, C., & Fagherazzi, G. J. J. o. M. I. R. (2021). The use of social media for health research purposes: scoping review. 23(5), e25736.

Casale, S., Caplan, S. E., & Fioravanti, G. J. A. b. (2016). Positive metacognitions about Internet use: The mediating role in the relationship between emotional dysregulation and problematic use. 59, 84-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.03.014

Chamarro, A., Díaz-Moreno, A., Bonilla, I., Cladellas, R., Griffiths, M. D., Gómez-Romero, M. J., & Limonero, J. T. J. B. p. h. (2024). Stress and suicide risk among adolescents: the role of problematic internet use, gaming disorder and emotional regulation. 24(1), 326.

Cheng, T. W., Mills, K. L., Pfeifer, J. H. J. N., & Reviews, B. (2024). Revisiting adolescence as a sensitive period for sociocultural processing. 105820. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105820

Désiron, J. C., Petko, D. J. E., & technologies, I. (2023). Academic dishonesty when doing homework: How digital technologies are put to bad use in secondary schools. Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory, 28(2), 1251-1271. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11225-y

Fombouchet, Y., Pineau, S., Perchec, C., Lucenet, J., & Lannegrand, L. J. S. D. (2023). The development of emotion regulation in adolescence: What do we know and where to go next? Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory, 32(4), 1227-1242. https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12684

Galil, A., Gidron, M., Yarmolovsky, J., Geva, R. J. P. B., & Review. (2021). Cognitive strategies for managing cheating: The roles of cognitive abilities in managing moral shortcuts. 28(5), 1579-1591. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-021-01936-7

Garnefski, N., & Kraaij, V. (2006). Cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire–development of a short 18-item version (CERQ-short). Personality and Individual Differences, 41 (6), 1045-1053. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2006.04.010

Gross, J. J. J. R. o. g. p. (1998). The emerging field of emotion regulation: An integrative review. Personality and Individual Differences, 2(3), 271-299. https://doi/abs/10.1037/1089-2680.2.3.271

Günaydın, N., Kaşko Arıcı, Y., Kutlu, F. Y., & Yancar Demir, E. J. J. o. c. p. (2022). The relationship between problematic Internet use in adolescents and emotion regulation difficulty and family Internet attitude. 50(2), 1135-1154. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22708

Hadadian, F., Tehranizadeh, M., Pakdel, M. J. B. J. o. s., Adolescents, P. i., & Youth. (2021). The roles of family, emotion regulation strategies, and mental health in the problematic Internet Use. 2(1), 61-71.

Harper, M. G. J. N. E. T. (2006). High tech cheating. Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory, 26(8), 672-679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2006.07.012

Hasani , J. (2011). The reliability and validity of the short form of the cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire. Frontiers in Psychology.

Hazelhurst, S., Johnson, Y., & Sanders, I. J. a. p. a. (2011). An empirical analysis of the relationship between web usage and academic performance in undergraduate students. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1110.6267

Jeong, E. J., Ferguson, C. J., Lee, S. J. J. J. o. y., & adolescence. (2019). Pathological gaming in young adolescents: A longitudinal study focused on academic stress and self-control in South Korea. 48(12), 2333-2342. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-019-01065-4

Kożybska, M., Radlińska, I., Kolwitz, M., Karakiewicz, B. J. I. J. o. E. R., & Health, P. (2023). Problematic internet use among polish students: prevalence, relationship to sociodemographic data and internet usage patterns. Frontiers in Psychology, 20(3), 2434. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032434

Krienert, J. L., Walsh, J. A., & Cannon, K. D. J. C. T. (2022). Changes in the tradecraft of cheating: Technological advances in academic dishonesty. Frontiers in Psychology, 70(3), 309-318. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2021.1940813

Lai, W., Wang, W., Li, X., Wang, H., Lu, C., Guo, L. J. E. c., & psychiatry, a. (2023). Longitudinal associations between problematic Internet use, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents. Frontiers in Psychology, 32(7), 1273-1283. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-022-01944-5