Psychometric Properties of the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen (DTDD) Scale: Evidence of Reliability and Validity Among Algerian University Students

Abstract

The present study examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Arabic-translated version of the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen (DTDD) scale in a sample of Algerian university students. The sample comprised 226 participants (90.3% female; M age = 23.73 years, SD = 6.02). The DTDD items were translated from English into Arabic to evaluate the scale's applicability within the Algerian context. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted using Principal Axis Factoring (PAF) with Promax oblique rotation, and Parallel Analysis was applied to determine the number of factors to retain. Internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's Omega coefficients, and gender differences across the three scale dimensions were examined. EFA results supported a three-factor solution comprising Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism, consistent with the original theoretical structure of the DTDD. All three dimensions demonstrated adequate to good internal consistency. No statistically significant gender differences were observed on any of the three Dark Triad dimensions. Collectively, these findings provide empirical support for the reliability and construct validity of the Arabic version of the DTDD as a psychometrically sound measure of dark personality traits among university students in Algeria.