Fahimeh Babanejad Nigjeh - Ph.D. candidate. Educational Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Saveh unit, Saveh, Iran.
Hassan Shams Esfandabad - Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran.
Hooman Namvar - Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities Islamic Azad University, Saveh unit, Saveh, Iran.

Background: Characteristically, dishonest learners lack maturity and dedication; and prefer to rationalize their cheating conduct. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to provide a model for explaining the impact of academic motivation on the relationship between basic psychological needs and educational justice with cheating behavior. Method: Structural equation modeling was the method used in this research. Sample of the study consisted of ۴۰۰ students selected from all female senior high schools in ۴ districts of Tehran, Iran, in the academic year ۲۰۱۷-۲۰۱۸. The sample size was chosen according to Morgan table, using cluster random sampling method. Harter et al.'s Academic Motivation scale (۱۹۸۱), questionnaire of Basic Psychological Needs (۲۰۱۰) educational justice Questionnaire (۲۰۱۰), and Newstead et al.’s cheating Behavior Questionnaire (۱۹۹۶) were used for data collection. Data analysis was performed through SPSS software version ۲۲ and Amos ۲۳(α = ۰.۰۵). Results: Most of the participants were ۱۶-year-old students, studying in the ۱۰th grade. The results showed that the basic psychological needs and educational justice have a significant indirect effect on the cheating behaviors through the educational motivation (β=-۰.۲۹; P=۰.۰۰۱) and the mediating role of educational motivation in the relationship between basic psychological needs and Educational justice (β=-۰.۲۶; P=۰.۰۰۱) is confirmed by cheating behaviors with ۹۵% confidence (p <۰.۰۵. ( Conclusion: The results obtained in this study indicated that educational needs and educational justice have a significant indirect effect on cheating behaviors through educational motivation and the mediating role of educational motivation is supported by cheating behaviors in the relationship between psychological needs and educational justice

academic motivation, Psychological needs, Educational justice, Cheating