Frustrated cyber-abuser: Narcissistic traits in the context of the basic psychological needs and cyber dating abuse

It is important to identify significant psychological predictors of cyber dating abuse because their knowledge may be valuable to researchers, practitioners, and the general public. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of two narcissistic traits, vulnerability and grandiosity, on the perpetration of cyber dating abuse. We examined whether basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness mediate this effect. The study sample consisted of 300 working adults (48.66% men; mean = 39.49 years). Participants completed the Vulnerable Narcissism Scale, the Narcissistic Grandiosity Scale, the Cyber Dating Abuse Questionnaire, and the Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Frustration Scale. Path analysis models indicated that both types of narcissism significantly predicted cyber dating abuse. The need for competence partially mediated the effect of narcissistic grandiosity on cyber dating abuse. Competence frustration partially mediated the effect of narcissistic grandiosity on cyber dating abuse (b = .013; p = .019). Competence satisfaction partially mediated the effect of narcissistic grandiosity on cyber dating abuse (b = .021; p = .017). There was no significant effect of basic psychological needs on the relationship between vulnerable narcissism and cyber dating abuse. Adults with higher levels of narcissistic grandiosity may be protected from cyber dating abuse by the need for competence. Future research could examine the effect of the intervention program (e.g., basic psychological needs affirmation) on cyber dating abuse. • Both vulnerable and grandiose narcissism positively relate to cyber dating abuse in the adult population. • Narcissistic traits (grandiosity, vulnerability) correlate with basic psychological needs in the opposite direction. • Competence frustration strengthens, and competence satisfaction reduces cyber dating abuse predicted by grandiosity. • Vulnerability does not predict cyber dating abuse through frustration with basic psychological needs. • The satisfaction with the need for competence decreases cyber dating abuse predicted by grandiosity.