PsychologicalReports, 2003,93,93-97. O Psychological Reports 2003 ARE STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF PARENTAL ACCEPTANCE OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY ASSOCIATED WITH ITS OCCURRENCE? Ponl16cia Uniuersidad Catdlica de Chile Sum~nary.-The study explored the association benveen the perceptions 175 Chil- ean business srudents held about their parents' acceptance of academic dishonesty and their self-reports of academic dishonesty. Regressing scores for parental acceptance onto self-reported academic dishonesty indicated it accounted for a small (2.2%) but significant amount of variance beyond demographic and academic performance vari- ables. Effect size analysis based on structure coefficients indicared that parental accep- tance was the second best predictor in the equation, suggesting that parental accep- tance is a correlate chat merits further study. The academic Ashonesty of college students is a concern of all those involved in institutions of higher education. Researchers thus far have found multiple correlates and possible motives associated with this phenomenon. Recent reviews of the literature of cheating by Crown and Sp~ller (1998) and Whitley (1998) have highhghted the role of ~nd~vidual traits of students, contextual and situational factors, and institut~ond norms and policies. Yet, despite the many correlates that have been studied, family or parents' char- acteristics have only occasionally been included in the analyses, and when they have been included, they have been introduced as demographic control variables (e.g., Graham, Monday, O'Brien, & Steffen, 1994; Kerkvliet, 1994; Tang & Zuo, 1997). In the academic field of criminology and deviant behav- ior, researchers have also shown some interest in studying the association between parents' variables and academic dishonesty. Yet, they have focused on the role of early parenting practices in the development of traits of chil- dren that might be associated with criminal and deviant behaviors (e.g., Michaels & methe, 1989; Cochran, Wood, Sellers, Wdkerson, & Chamlin, 1998). The influence of parents on the decision-malung processes of adoles- cents has also been explored in the context of transgressions to norms and to high-risk and addictive behaviors. Findings from recent studies suggest an association between the perceptions that adolescents hold about their par- - - 'The authors thank four anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of th~s aper. 'Adjress enquiries to M. Koljacic, Ed.D., Esquela de Administracibn, Facultad de Ciencias Econ6micas y Administrativas. Pontificia Universidad Catdica de Chile, Casilla 76, Carreo 17. Santiago, Chile.