Validation of the Game User Experience Satisfaction Scale (GUESS-18) in Brazilian Secondary School Students

Julio Cesar Teixeira de Freitas; Guilhermina L. Miranda; Nelson Zagalo; João Piedade

doi:10.5753/jis.2026.8371

Authors

Julio Cesar Teixeira de Freitas University of Lisbon https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5841-2046
Guilhermina L. Miranda University of Lisbon https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4423-4522
Nelson Zagalo University of Aveiro https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5478-0650
João Piedade University of Lisbon https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4118-397X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5753/jis.2026.8371

Keywords:

Digital Games, GUESS-18, Player Experience, Playtest, Scale Validation

Abstract

Digital games have become increasingly relevant not only as entertainment products but also as cultural and interactive media experiences, reinforcing the need for reliable instruments to assess player experience and satisfaction. Despite the growing Brazilian gaming market, there is still a lack of validated instruments in Brazilian Portuguese for measuring game user experience. This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and preliminarily validate the Game User Experience Satisfaction Scale (GUESS-18) for use in the Brazilian context. Using a sample of 259 Brazilian secondary school students, the study included translation procedures, cultural adaptation through comprehension testing and item reformulation, item sensitivity analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and reliability assessment of the scale’s nine dimensions. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) indicated acceptable sample adequacy (KMO = 0.584), confirmed by Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity, χ²(153) = 1281.494, p < 0.001. The analysis identified nine factors with loadings ranging from 0.605 to 0.967, conceptually consistent with the original GUESS-18 theoretical structure and subscales. Although the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) fit indices were below the reference values commonly recommended in the literature, the EFA results support the structural consistency of the Brazilian version. Reliability analysis showed Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from acceptable to very good across the nine factors and the overall scale. The findings suggest that GUESS-18-BR is a promising instrument for assessing player experience and satisfaction among Brazilian players, contributing to research and development in digital games and user experience evaluation.

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