Preliminary Validation of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory–Juvenile Offender

Abstract

An examination of the relationship between self-esteem and delinquent behavior in juveniles suggests that pathological narcissism, characterized by a grandiose self-image and interpersonal exploitation, may be a factor in the etiology of juvenile delinquency. Psychoanalytic theory posits a relationship between narcissism and delinquent behavior in juveniles, however, there has been little research examining this relationship empirically. The present study represents an effort to measure the construct of narcissism in juvenile offenders via a revised version of the widely used Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI). The NPI was revised to suit the juveniles’ comprehension and reading levels and administered to 125 detained male juvenile offenders. Construct validity for the Narcissistic Personality Inventory-Juvenile Offender (NPI-JO) was provided by factor analytic cross-validation with a broad-spectrum scale (Behavior Assessment System for Children–Self-Report Profile) of adolescent behavior. Limitations and possible implications of the narcissism scale were noted.