Psychometric properties of a Trolling Questionnaire in an Argentine sample

Abstract

Trolling is a behavior of great psychosocial relevance. However, there are no studies in Argentina that have examined the properties of instruments to evaluate it. The objective of the present work was to observe the properties of the Buckels, Trapnell, & Paulhus’s Trolling Questionnaire (2014). Two samples were constituted, one of 437 subjects and other of 532 participants, both samples from Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and Greater Buenos Aires. An exploratory factorial analysis –using the first sample- and a confirmatory –using the second one- indicated a unifactorial structure and measurement invariance. Internal consistency was adequate: Cronbach's alpha = .74, and a composite reliability of .81. Concurrent validity of the Trolling Questionnaire was observed with the problematic use of new technologies and dark personality: Machiavellianism, narcissism and psychotism. In the discussion the implications of these findings.