Dark Tetrad and workplace deviance: Investigating the moderating role of organizational justice perceptions

Validation of the Italian version of the Dark Tetrad at Work scale

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.

Relationship between shift assignments, organizational justice, and turnover intention: A cross-sectional survey of Japanese shift-work nurses in hospitals

AIM

Shift management and planning processes for shift-working nurses are important for their continued work. This study aimed to determine the association between shift assignments, organizational justice, and their interaction with turnover intention among shift-work nurses.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used an online questionnaire administered to Japanese nurses between January and February 2020. Enquiries pertaining to their daily start and end times for each shift type, the shift assignments, organizational justice, and their turnover intention were made. To examine the association with turnover intention, logistic regression analysis was performed with shift assignments, organizational justice, and their interaction terms as independent variables.

RESULTS

A total of 386 nurses participated in the final analysis. Of these, 161 nurses (41.7%) had turnover intention. Unequal work assignments and procedural justice were significantly associated with turnover intention. However, the interaction between these factors was not significant.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that procedural justice in the workplace and turnover intention are related, but in shift planning, even procedural justice cannot buffer unequal work from leading to turnover intention. This study provides valuable insights for nursing managers who manage the schedules of shift-working nurses.

Sex in the dark: Sex differences on three measures of dark side personality

This study examined sex differences in the scores on three different measures of the personality disorders (PDs) all derived from on-line surveys. Two groups (total N = 871) completed the Coolidge Axis-II Inventory which assessed 14 PDs; two groups (total N = 732) completed the Short Dark Tetrad which assessed 4 PDs; four groups (total N = 1558) completed the Personality Inventory for DSM-5-Brief Form which assessed 5 PD dimensions. Cohen's d after ANOVAs, and binary regression analysis revealed consistent findings. In this study we calculated 63 d statistics of which 5 were d > 0.50 and 28 were d > 0.20. In two samples, each using two different instruments, men scored higher than women on Anti-Social, Narcissistic and Sadistic PD which is a consistent finding in the literature. Speculations are made about the origin of these differences. Limitations are acknowledged.