Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
Department of Psychology, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Canada.
PLoS One. 2024 Feb 23;19(2):e0298880. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298880. eCollection 2024.
This study presents and validates the Italian adaptation of the Dark Tetrad at Work (DTW) scale, an instrument for assessing four socially aversive personality traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy and sadism) in the context of the workplace. A total of 300 Italian-speaking participants (50% female, M age = 32 years ± 9.2) and 253 English-speaking participants (38% female, M age = 39 years ± 12.1) were recruited via an online survey platform. The Italian-speaking sample was used to test the factorial structure, reliability and criterion-related validity of the Italian version of the DTW, whereas the English-speaking sample was used to test cross-language measurement invariance. Results from confirmatory factor analysis showed that the original four-factor model provided the best fit to the data. The Italian DTW scale demonstrated acceptable internal consistency, with reliability coefficients of ω = .77 for narcissism, ω = .80 for Machiavellianism, and ω = .81 for both psychopathy and sadism. Concurrent associations between the DTW scales and negative and positive workplace outcomes supported the criterion validity of the scale. Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism positively correlated with counterproductive work behaviors and workplace bullying, and negatively with organizational citizenship behaviors and affective organizational commitment. In contrast, narcissism exhibited a unique pattern: It correlated positively with positive workplace behaviors and negatively with counterproductive behaviors toward the organization, but it was also found to be a significant predictor of workplace bullying. This finding may reflect multidimensional nature of narcissism, but a note of caution is warranted in interpreting this result, as all measurements relied on self-report instruments, introducing the possibility of socially desirable associations influencing the outcomes. Finally, the comparison with the English sample established configural, full metric and partial scale invariance, allowing for valid cross-language comparisons between Italian and English-speaking populations in the future. Preliminary Italian normative data were provided to offer a benchmark for the interpretation of DTW values. This study provides a reliable and valid instrument tailored to the Italian workforce, enhancing our understanding of dark personality traits within organizational contexts and providing organizations with an effective means to address and manage dark personality traits for a healthier workplace culture.
这项研究提出并验证了工作暗黑四天王量表（DTW）的意大利文适应性，该量表用于评估工作场所中四种具有社会危害性的人格特质（自恋、马基雅维利主义、精神病态和虐待狂）。共有 300 名讲意大利语的参与者（50%为女性，M 年龄=32 岁±9.2）和 253 名讲英语的参与者（38%为女性，M 年龄=39 岁±12.1）通过在线调查平台招募。讲意大利语的样本用于检验 DTW 意大利文版的因子结构、信度和效标关联效度，而讲英语的样本则用于检验跨语言测量不变性。验证性因子分析的结果表明，最初的四因子模型最符合数据。意大利文 DTW 量表表现出可接受的内部一致性，自恋的 ω 值为.77，马基雅维利主义的 ω 值为.80，精神病态和虐待狂的 ω 值均为.81。DTW 量表与负面和正面工作结果之间的同时关联支持了该量表的效标效度。马基雅维利主义、精神病态和虐待狂与反生产工作行为和工作场所欺凌呈正相关，与组织公民行为和情感组织承诺呈负相关。相比之下，自恋表现出一种独特的模式：它与积极的工作行为呈正相关，与反组织行为呈负相关，但也被发现是工作场所欺凌的一个重要预测因素。这一发现可能反映了自恋的多维度性质，但在解释这一结果时需要谨慎，因为所有的测量都依赖于自我报告的工具，这就有可能引入社会期望的关联影响结果。最后，与英语样本的比较建立了组态、全度量和部分量表不变性，允许未来在意大利语和英语人群之间进行有效的跨语言比较。提供了初步的意大利规范数据，为解释 DTW 值提供了基准。这项研究提供了一种适用于意大利劳动力的可靠有效的工具，增强了我们对组织背景下黑暗人格特质的理解，并为组织提供了一种有效的手段，以促进更健康的工作文化，应对和管理黑暗人格特质。
