Will the Dark Triad Engender Psychopathological Symptoms or Vice Versa? A Three-Wave Random Intercept Cross-Lagged...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Personality Psychology

Background:

• The Dark Triad (DT) comprises narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy, representing negative personality traits.
• DT traits are linked to various psychopathological symptoms, including depression, anxiety, and stress.
• Longitudinal relationships between DT traits and psychopathology remain underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the longitudinal interplay between Dark Triad traits and psychopathological symptoms.
• To clarify the directionality of effects between DT constructs and psychological distress over time.

Main Methods:

• A 3-year longitudinal study involving a large university student sample (N=1815).
• Annual measurement of Dark Triad traits and psychopathological symptoms.
• Analysis using random intercept cross-lagged panel models to examine within- and between-person effects.

Main Results:

• Narcissism and psychopathology demonstrated a reciprocal within-person relationship; narcissism predicted symptom decline, and symptoms predicted narcissism decline.
• Increases in Dark Triad traits (especially psychopathy and Machiavellianism) were associated with concurrent increases in psychopathological symptoms.
• All DT traits showed positive correlations with psychopathological symptoms, reflecting stable between-person differences.

Conclusions:

• This study provides crucial insights into the bidirectional longitudinal associations between the Dark Triad and psychopathological symptoms.
• The findings enhance understanding of the complex interplay between personality and psychological distress at both within-person and between-person levels.