Comparison of the Brain-Behavioral Systems, Existential Anxiety and Positive and Negative Affects Between Non-clinical Samples with Narcissistic and Borderline Traits and Normal Individuals

The present study was conducted to compare the brain-behavioral systems, existential anxiety and positive and negative affects among non-clinical samples of individuals with narcissistic and borderline personalitiy traits with normal people. Using an expo-facto design among 200 individuals in 18 to 30 years age range in Tehran, 90 participants (30 borderline, 30 narcissistic and 30 normal people) were selected based on their narcissism and borderline scores. The data were collected by Positive and Negative Experience Scale, Communication Skills Scale, Narcissistic Personality Inventory, Behavioral Inhibition/ Activation Systems Scale, and Existential Anxiety Scale  and analyzed by a MANOVA statistical analysis. Positive affect in the normal group was significantly higher than the borderline group,whereas  no difference observed between borderline and narcissistic groups. No significant differences were evident for the negative affect and existential anxiety between normal and narcissistic groups as well. However the mean of negative affect and existential anxiety of the borderline group was significantly higher in the both normal and narcissistic groups. No significant level of inhibition and activation system were obtained between study groups as well. In general, a higher negative affect and existential anxiety could diffenciate borderlines from narcisisistics and normal individuals. This may have important therapeutic and educational implications for clinicians.