Psychometric Properties of the Measure of Online Disinhibition (MOD) in Chilean Adolescents
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThis study evaluates the psychometric properties of the Measure of Online Disinhibition (MOD) in a sample of Chilean adolescents. Although the study makes a psychometric contribution within the Chilean context, several substantive academic concerns should be addressed.
The exclusive use of Chilean adolescents as the sample limits the generalizability of the psychometric findings to the broader Chilean population. In addition, as the participants were school-attending adolescents, the external validity of the scale is further constrained, as non-school populations and out-of-school youth are not represented.
The term “sex” is used throughout the manuscript. However, “gender” would be a more appropriate and conceptually accurate term in this research context.
Prior research has identified age differences in online disinhibition (Stuart & Scott, 2021). It is therefore necessary to explicitly examine potential age-related variation in online disinhibition within the Chilean context. In the current model, only gender, internet use, and social media use are considered, while age-related effects are not theoretically or empirically addressed.
In Table 1, “per day” should be added after “hours” to improve clarity.
Decimal precision should be standardized across the manuscript, maintaining either two or three decimal places consistently throughout the full text.
The manuscript should explicitly clarify the discrepancies between the Spanish version of the MOD developed by Polanco-Levicán and Gálvez-Nieto (2024) and the version used in the present study, including translation procedures, adaptation decisions, and any item-level modifications.
The Discussion section should be expanded to include clearly articulated paragraphs on theoretical contributions and practical implications, specifying how the findings advance theory on online disinhibition and how they can inform interventions, educational practices, or policy development.
The reference entry for Polanco-Levicán and Gálvez-Nieto (2024) is duplicated and should be corrected.
References
Stuart, J., & Scott, R. (2021). The Measure of Online Disinhibition (MOD): Assessing perceptions of reductions in restraint in the online environment. Computers in Human Behavior, 114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106534
Polanco-Levicán, K., & Gálvez-Nieto, J. L. (2024). Psychometric properties of the Measure of Online Disinhibition (MOD) in Chilean university students. Current Psychology, 43(47), 36489–36492. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-024-07043-9
Author Response
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Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThis is an interesting study examining the psychometric properties of the Measure of Online Disinhibition in a large sample of Chilean adolescents. I enjoyed reading the manuscript a lot. The topic is timely and relevant, and the sample size is a clear strength. The authors also make a commendable effort to examine measurement invariance across multiple grouping variables. I agree that the paper will contribute well to the literature. I have several comments to improve the manuscript further:
1. The manuscript initially suggests that no Chilean psychometric work exists, yet later acknowledges a prior validation in Chilean university students. Will be useful to clarify the inconsistency
2. The Chile-specific context (e.g., patterns of internet use, educational system characteristics) is only briefly mentioned and could be better integrated into the rationale for the study.
3. The authors did a good job linking online disinhibition with cyberbullying and appropriately highlight evidence that it can moderate the relationship between revenge motivation and the perpetration of cyberbullying. The literature review could be further strengthened by briefly acknowledging more direct empirical evidence supporting the link between online disinhibition and cyberbullying by showing that online disinhibition can also moderate and exacerbate the victim–bully cycle itself, particularly by increasing the likelihood that online victimization escalates into subsequent perpetration.. For example, see Kasturiratna et al. (2025). The moderating role of trait online disinhibition in exacerbating the online victim-bully cycle. Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science, 10(3), 471-483.
4. I would like to encourage the authors to report how missing data were handled
5. More detail on administration procedures (e.g., classroom conditions, anonymity, supervision) would be helpful given the sensitive nature of the behaviors assessed.
6. Factor loadings are presented only graphically. A table with standardized loadings, standard errors, and residual variances would be helpful
7. Measurement invariance results by sex are incomplete. Scalar invariance is rejected, yet no attempt is made to explore partial invariance or identify which items are non-invariant. This is something that the authors can consider
Author Response
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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThank you for the revisions, which have addressed most of my concerns.
Author Response
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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsI would like to thank the authors for their detailed and constructive responses. They have addressed my concerns satisfactorily, and the revisions have substantially improved the clarity and rigor of the manuscript.
Author Response
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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
