Personality Test Narcissistic Personality 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to research, how does narcissism typically trend across the lifespan?
- It increases steadily with age
- It decreases with age on average (Correct answer)
- It remains constant throughout life
- It peaks in childhood then stabilizes
Correct answer: It decreases with age on average
Large-scale longitudinal studies show narcissism tends to decline as people age and develop greater perspective.
Question 2: The 'narcissistic injury' refers to:
- A physical injury common in people with NPD
- A slight, criticism, or failure that triggers intense shame or rage in a narcissist (Correct answer)
- A therapeutic intervention targeting self-esteem
- Damage to the narcissist's social network
Correct answer: A slight, criticism, or failure that triggers intense shame or rage in a narcissist
A narcissistic injury is any perceived criticism or threat to the narcissist's self-image that triggers defensive rage or shame.
Question 3: Which parenting style is most associated with the development of narcissistic traits in research?
- Authoritative parenting with clear boundaries
- Neglectful parenting only
- Overvaluation combined with permissiveness (Correct answer)
- Strict authoritarian parenting
Correct answer: Overvaluation combined with permissiveness
Research links parental overvaluation — telling children they are special and superior — with elevated narcissistic traits.
Question 4: Narcissistic rage is typically triggered by:
- Receiving too much praise
- Perceived threats to self-esteem or loss of control (Correct answer)
- Excessive empathy from others
- Physical illness
Correct answer: Perceived threats to self-esteem or loss of control
Narcissistic rage is a reaction to perceived humiliation, criticism, or any threat to the narcissist's grandiose self-image.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes the relationship between narcissism and self-esteem?
- Narcissists have genuinely high and stable self-esteem
- Narcissistic self-esteem is fragile, defensive, and contingent on external validation (Correct answer)
- Narcissists have low self-esteem in all contexts
- Narcissism and self-esteem are unrelated constructs
Correct answer: Narcissistic self-esteem is fragile, defensive, and contingent on external validation
Despite outward grandiosity, narcissistic self-esteem is fragile and depends heavily on admiration and external feedback.
Question 6: Which therapeutic approach has the most evidence for treating NPD?
- Medication alone
- Electroconvulsive therapy
- Long-term psychodynamic or schema therapy (Correct answer)
- Brief solution-focused therapy only
Correct answer: Long-term psychodynamic or schema therapy
Long-term psychodynamic therapy and schema therapy have the most empirical support for addressing underlying narcissistic structures.
Personality Test Narcissistic Personality 2
According to research, how does narcissism typically trend across the lifespan?