Academic dishonesty as a multidimensional construct in contemporary higher education

Introduction Academic dishonesty represents a persistent and multidimensional problem in higher education that compromises the quality of learning, evaluative equity, and students' ethical development. The objective of this study was to examine academic dishonesty as a multidimensional construct among students at a private Peruvian university. Methods A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and descriptive correlational design was employed with 333 participants who completed an adapted 23-item Likert scale. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's α and McDonald's ω , and construct validity was assessed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, correlations, and repeated-measures ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc test. Results The results confirmed a robust two-dimensional structure consisting of evaluative fraud (D1) and non-evaluative evasive fraud (D2), comprising four factors. The instrument showed high reliability ( α  = 0.793–0.951; ω  = 0.815–0.962) and acceptable model fit (RMSEA = 0.056; CFI = 0.92; TLI = 0.91). Self-reported prevalence was low, with 65.01% of responses classified as “Never,” although occasional involvement persisted (32.9%). Occasional involvement was significantly higher in D1, with strong inter-dimensional correlations and statistically significant differences. Discussion These findings refine the theoretical understanding of academic dishonesty by distinguishing mechanisms of direct manipulation from those involving evasion and moral disengagement, thereby providing a more precise framework for understanding the construct in Latin American contexts. At the applied level, the findings support the design of interventions tailored to each dimension. In summary, the study provides an empirically supported functional framework for academic dishonesty, with direct implications for strengthening educational quality and the ethical training of future professionals, thereby consolidating academic integrity as a central pillar of the sustainable development of higher education in Peru and Latin America.