The mediating role of perfectionism in relation to narcissism and early trauma, family functioning and perceived parenting styles

Elevated narcissism in young people often sets up a cascade of interpersonal and mental health challenges which needs to understand its concomitants. This study aimed to explain the structural model of narcissism based on early trauma, family function and perceived parenting styles with the mediating role of perfectionism.

This was an analytical cross-sectional study. The statistical population of the present study consisted of 20-45 year-old males and females referring to psychological clinics of Tehran in 2018-19. A sample of 350 people was also selected using convenience sampling method. Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the McMaster family assessment device, and Perceptions of Parents Scale (POPS) were used to collect the data. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, including mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis using SPSS-22 software and structural equation modeling was used by Amos-24 doftware. The level of significant was (p<0.05).

Comparative Fit index (CFI) was 0.923, Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI), and Incremental Fit Index (IFI) was appropriate; since it exceeded 0.90. Also, the Root Mean Square Error Approximation (RMSEA) was 0.075 was in the acceptable range. Based on the path findings, the fitted model showed a positive impact of early life trauma on perfectionism (p<0.01, β= 0.12), the functioning of the family (p<0.01, β= 0.21), and the style of parenting (β= 0.29, p<0.01). Narcissism had a positive impact on family functioning (p<0.01, β = 0.40) directly from early life trauma (p <0.01, β = 0.18).  

As the experience of trauma increases early in life, the likelihood of developing perfectionist tendencies increases. This indicates that the better the parenting style and the better the family functioning, the lower the level of perfectionism.