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Gaming Toxicity Scale (GTOX): an assessment tool of toxic behaviours within online video games

Author

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  • Adrian Díaz-Moreno
  • Iván Bonilla
  • Andrés Chamarro

Abstract

Toxic behaviour could be defined as an umbrella term that encompasses any behavioural or verbal action performed during online video games that negatively impact other gamers’ experiences, well-being, or health. Despite its normalisation within gaming communities, there is currently no validated measure for its psychometric assessment. Therefore, the present study aimed to create an instrument to evaluate the perpetration and victimisation of toxic behaviours in online gaming environments. An online questionnaire was administered to 907 gamers (mean age = 24.30; SD = 6.15; 50.3% men) via convenience and snowball sampling, containing the Gaming Toxicity Scale (GTOX), Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (ECIPQ). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the proposed bidimensional solution with adequate fit, while reliability indicators showed acceptable scores for the perpetration (α = .93) and victimisation (α = .91) subscales. The correlational analyses showed preliminary evidence of concurrent and discriminant validity, as the GTOX scale was associated with the ECIPQ, IGDS9-SF, and SWLS. Findings highlight the potential utility of the GTOX scale as an effective tool for the detection and self-assessment of behaviours that could be harmful to online gamers.

Suggested Citation

  • Adrian Díaz-Moreno & Iván Bonilla & Andrés Chamarro, 2026. "Gaming Toxicity Scale (GTOX): an assessment tool of toxic behaviours within online video games," Behaviour and Information Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(6), pages 1136-1152, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:tbitxx:v:45:y:2026:i:6:p:1136-1152
    DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2025.2546974
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