Effects of Covert and Overt Narcissism on Interpersonal Problems in Adults: The Mediating Roles of Mentalization

Objectives This study examines the mediating effect of mentalization on the interpersonal problems of narcissistic individuals, as well as the differences in mentalization and interpersonal problems between covert narcissists and overt narcissists. Methods 450 samples were asked to complete the questionnaires of Narcissistic Personality Disorder Scale (NPDS), Covert Narcissism Scale(CNS), Mentalization Questionnaire, and Inventory of Interpersonal Problems- Circumplex(IIP-C). Results The major finding of this study can be summarized as follows. First, covert narcissists and overt narcissists and interpersonal problems was positively associated with failure of mentalization. Second, mentalization showed the statistically significant partial mediation effect between covert narcissists and overt narcissists on interpersonal problems. Third, groups with higher covert narcissistic showed a lower mentalization(refusing self-reflection, failure of emotional awareness, higher psychic equivalence mode) than overt narcissistic group and the non-narcissistic group. And groups with higher overt narcissistic showed higher teleological mode than the non-narcissistic group. Conclusions The results of this study confirmed the role of mentalization in the interpersonal problems of covert and overt narcissists. Through this, effective therapeutic interventions which are based on covert and overt narcissists were suggested.