Predicting Narcissistic Personality Symptoms Based on the Perceived Parenting Styles and Object Relations in College Students

Introduction: As foundational elements of societal progress, students’ psychological health warrants critical examination. This study aimed to predict narcissistic personality symptoms based on the perceived parenting styles and object relations among university students.Methods: This descriptive-correlational study included 376 students from Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch. The participants were selected through cluster random sampling during the first semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. Participants completed validated scales, including Ames Narcissistic Personality Inventory, Baumrind’s Parenting Styles Questionnaire, and Bell Object Relations Inventory. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient tests and multiple regression in SPSS software (version 23).Results: The results showed that among the parenting styles, permissive (P=0.001, β=0.311) and authoritarian (P=0.003, β=0.294) components were positively and significantly associated with narcissism, while the authoritarian component (P=0.001, β=0.307) showed a negative and significant association. Among object relations dimensions, alienation (P=0.005, β=0.288) and self-centeredness (P=0.001, β=0.302) were positive and significant predictors of narcissism.Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that parental and family functioning played a fundamental role in the development of personality disorder symptoms, including narcissistic traits in children. Consequently, this research contributed to understanding the etiology of narcissistic disorder among university students (primarily adolescents), while providing insights to help parents implement effective child-rearing strategies.