NCJ Number
185274
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 44 Issue: 5 Dated: October 2000 Pages: 564-580
Date Published
October 2000
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This study measured the construct of narcissism in juvenile offenders with a revised version of the widely used Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI).
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 that has examined this relationship empirically. In the current study, the NPI was revised to suit the juveniles' comprehension and reading levels. It was 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. The findings provide preliminary support for a measure of narcissism with juvenile offenders. A principal-components factor analysis revealed seven factors labeled Control/Vanity, Authority/Superiority, Exhibitionism, Leadership, Uniqueness, Need for Approval/Acknowledgement, and Exploitativeness. Based on the literature reviewed in this study, these seven factors apparently represent components of the construct of narcissism. 3 tables, appended NPI-JO, and 43 references