Resilience on the Bright Side of Narcissism: the Adaptive Role of Narcissism in the Exploration of Positive Traits and Coping Style
Resilience on the Bright Side of Narcissism: the Adaptive Role of Narcissism in the Exploration of Positive Traits and Coping Style

Summary/Abstract: Although a substantial body of research has examined the detrimental aspects of narcissism, its potential adaptive features remain insufficiently explored. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the contradictory nature of narcissism and to present empirical findings regarding the association between narcissism and resilience through the integration of mediating psychological components.Data were collected using an online survey including the following self-report instruments: the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale – 10-item Short Form (CD-RISC-10), the Hungarian Short Form of the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ), and the 13-item Short Version of the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC). A cross-sectional convenience sampling method was applied, resulting in 418 participants (78.5% female) with an average age of 28.9 years (SD = 14).Within a Structural Equation Modeling framework, results showed that adaptive narcissism exhibited both direct and indirect positive associations with resilience, the latter mediated by problem-focused coping and two components of sense of coherence: meaningfulness and comprehensibility. In contrast, maladaptive narcissism demonstrated negative indirect effects on resilience, mediated by emotion-focused coping and the same two SOC components.These findings support the view that adaptive facets of subclinical narcissism may play a constructive role in mental health, whereas maladaptive expressions of narcissism function as risk factors. The study underscores the importance of further investigating the relationship between narcissism and resilience, considering its conceptual complexity and practical implications.

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