The Development and Initial Validation of the Very Short Form of the Short Dark Tetrad Scale: Its Links to Alexithymia, and Internet Trolling

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a Very Short Form (SD4-VSF) of the Short Dark Tetrad Scale (SD4). In Study I, the 28-item SD4 was reduced to the 16-item SD4-VSF following exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The study included 440 participants (75.9% female; 24.1% male). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted on the 16-item SD4-VSF in Study II. Furthermore, the scale's reliability was examined using Cronbach’s α, McDonald’s ω, Guttmann’s λ6, and composite reliability. Following the results of the CFA, confirmatory factor analysis for the 16-item SD4-VSF demonstrated an acceptable fit. Study II included 456 participants (63.2% female; 36.8% male). Study III examined the mediating role of alexithymia in the relationship between SD4 and trolling. Study III included 394 participants (56.1% female; 43.9% male). The results of the mediation analysis indicated that alexithymia plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between the dark tetrad (excluding narcissism) and trolling.