A Rapid Review of Remote Exam Proctoring and Student Mental Health

Researchers have long been concerned with academic integrity and misconduct. Research indicates that students cheat because they have poor time management skills, fear failure, have anxiety from pressure to perform well, and/or do not understand misconduct. Students' ability to cheat has increased since the increase in online learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, researchers reviewed research and newspaper articles that examined the impacts of COVID-19 on student academic integrity and mental health, specifically from the use of e-proctoring.

The researchers conducted a rapid review method of finding the effects of e-proctoring examinations on student mental health by collecting and analyzing sources of existing evidence. They limited their findings to relevant papers that have been written since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, including scholarly articles and newspaper articles. The researchers found their sources using the search terms, COVID-19, academic integrity, mental health, and other closely related words. The researchers then compiled and analyzed nine articles related to COVID-19, academic integrity, and mental health.

The researchers found that most published articles suggest that the use of remotely proctored exams is associated with student stress and anxiety, but further research is needed. In the articles, students described being uncomfortable with the loss of privacy in their home. The articles described students reacting with anger, anxiety, crying, or vomiting during an exam since they could not leave their room to calm down. Combining the general stress of a global pandemic with the extra complications of proctoring exams, the authors suggest that student mental health is at risk.