Structural investigation of the Short Dark Triad for Youths (13-16 years)

Abstract

The classic three-factor structure of the Short Dark Triad Questionnaire (SD3) has been confirmed in studies on different populations. However, a few studies (including those on the Polish population) reveal some problem with the proposed SD3 structure. The main goal of the present study was to investigate the structure of the Short Dark Triad for Youths (SD3-Y) in a sample of subclinical Polish adolescents. The results obtained should be treated as comments on the inconsistencies that exist among classic and critical conceptualisations of the SD3 structure. Three studies were conducted: (1) adaptation of the Polish version of the SD3 in terms of linguistic and cognitive needs of adolescents ( N = 45); (2) investigation of the structure of the SD3-Y ( N = 405); (3) examination of the external validity of the SD3-Y ( N = 325). A series of confirmatory factor analyses, reliability analyses using ω coefficients as well as a correlation analysis between the Dark Triad traits and Big Five traits, aggression and self-esteem were conducted. No replication of the factor structure of the classic model was obtained. The bifactor Dark Dyad model with psychopathy and Machiavellianism as two dimensions best fits the data. The ω reliability coefficients were acceptable with the highest value for psychopathy. There was an admissible external validity level. The Dark Triad as measured by SD3-Y comprises the Dark Dyad (psychopathy, Machiavellianism) and narcissism as a feature independent of the other two. Such data comply with the critical findings relating to the structure of the SD3 with a Polish adult population.