Identifying the Characteristics of Pathological Narcissism in a Sample of Public University Students of Tehran, Iran, in 2019

Abstract

Objectives The present study aimed to investigate the validity and characteristics of pathological narcissism in Iranian public university students. Methods The present research is a descriptive study performed on 659 students in different degrees and fields in the 2018-2019 academic year. They were selected using the cluster sampling method. The face validity was calculated by administering the questionnaire to a group of 30 students. The convergent validity was assessed using the test of self-conscious affect (TOSCA-3), the narcissistic personality inventory (NPI), the Beck depression inventory (BDI), and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSE). Confirmatory factor analysis was also implemented to evaluate the 7-factor structure of the inventory. Differences between means regarding features of narcissistic personality in genders were evaluated using the multivariate analysis of variance. All data analysis was performed in SPSS v. 20 or LISREL v. 8.8 software. Results Findings indicate that all impact scores of questions are above 1.5. The internal consistency on the scales of this questionnaire ranges from 0.73 to 0.85, except for the entitlement rage, which is equal to 0.66. Also, the correlations calculated between the two general factors of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism with TOSCA-3, BDI, and RSE were respectively significant and non-significant in relation to the narcissistic personality inventory (at a significance level of 0.05). Findings approve the seven dimensions of PNI-BF in the Iranian population. A comparison of narcissism scores among different genders showed that the grandiose scale was significantly higher in males. Conclusion The findings confirm the psychometric characteristics of the pathological narcissism questionnaire in the public university students of the Tehran population.