Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Iranian version of Nursing Student Perceptions of Dishonesty Scale Running title: Iranian version of Nursing Student Perceptions of Dishonesty Scale

Background : Nursing students' perceptions of dishonesty are a critical predictor of their professional conduct in clinical practice. Systematic evaluation of this construct requires validated, culturally adapted instruments. Objectives : To translate, culturally adapt, and psychometrically validate the Persian version of the Nursing Student Perceptions of Dishonesty Scale (NSPDS). Methods : standard forward-backward translation of the original NSPDS was conducted at XXX in 2024. Its psychometric properties were evaluated for face, content, and construct validity (using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis), internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. The validation process involved 751 BSc and MSc nursing students (response rate 97.5%). Results : The translated items demonstrated strong face and content validity, with no exclusions at these initial stages. Exploratory Factor Analysis refined the scale from 67 to 31 items. Confirmatory Factor Analysis confirmed a robust two-factor structure: Clinical Dishonesty (16 items) and Academic Dishonesty (15 items). The model showed excellent fit indices and high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α > 0.90 for total scale and subscales). Temporal stability was also excellent (ICC > 0.75). Conclusions: The validated Persian NSPDS, comprising 31 items across two distinct factors, is a reliable and valid tool for measuring nursing students' perceptions of dishonesty in Iran. This instrument provides educators and researchers with a critical means to assess this complex construct, thereby supporting the development of targeted interventions to foster academic and professional integrity. Future research should examine the scale's applicability in other Persian-speaking contexts and its predictive validity for clinical behavior.