Narcissistic Personality Indicators as Predictors of Narcissistic Personality Disorder: A cross-cultural study

Abstract

Background: Individuals affected by narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) are characterized by lack of empathy, grandiosity, low self-esteem, and a need for attention and special treatment that leads to unstable interpersonal relationships, occupational problems, and significant psychosocial distress. Objectives: The study aims to evaluate which Narcissistic Personality (NP) dimensions are the strongest and most significant predictors of NPD. Methods: The present study followed a cross-cultural research design aimed at determining the strongest and most significant predictors of NPD, therefore the shortened version of the Narcissistic Personality Indicators (NPI) questionnaire (NPI-40) developed by Raskin and Terry (1988) was administered online to those individuals interested to explore their personality type, in particular Narcissistic Personality. Results: The total sample population of the present study consisted of 11243 subjects, of which 6425 were males (57.1%) and 4766 (42.4%) were females; 12 (0.1%) respondents did not declare their gender while 40 (0.4%) identified themselves as others. Out of the total sample population, 647 (5,75%) were found to be having NPD. Conclusions: The present study has confirmed the utility of the NPI dimensions in predicting narcissistic personality disorder and has identified Exhibitionism as the strongest and most significant predictor of the NPD. The current findings contribute to the literature by adding more evidence to the concept of narcissism as a multi-dimensional construct. Multiple narcissism measures should be employed in future research to gain a better knowledge of the NPI dimensions as predictors of the NPD.