The Narcissism Test

Here is the evidenced based narcissism test. You can use this test for yourself or your partner or someone you know. The test will reveal not just high levels of narcissism but also if you are deficient in healthy narcissism.

On a scale of 1 to 5, indicate how much you agree or disagree with each item, using the guide below:

Symptoms

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Neutral

Agree

Strongly

Agree

1. Compliments make me uncomfortable.

2. It irritates me when someone gets ahead by being the star.

3. I have missed out on opportunities because I was uncomfortable nominating myself (e.g., for promotion or leadership position).

4. Sometimes I won’t state my ideas because someone else’s will be better.

5. I often defer to other people’s opinions.

6. I worry about how other people think and feel about me.

7. I’m not sure what I want or need in relationships.

8. When people ask me my preferences, I am often at a loss.

9. I blame myself whenever things go badly in a relationship.

10. I apologize a lot.

11. I am self-confident but caring

12. I press on, even when tasks are challenging.

13. I take more pride in my achievements when I must work hard for them.

14. I can recognize my limitations without feeling bad about myself.

15. I am happy to acknowledge my faults if it improves a situation.

16. I believe both parents contribute to the success or failure of a relationship.

17. I can rein myself in when people tell me I am getting a big head.

18. I like to dream big but not at the expense of my relationship.

19. I will take giving over receiving any day.

20. Despite setbacks, I believe in myself.

21. I find it easy to manipulate people.

22. I insist on getting the respect that’s due me.

23. I expect a great deal from other people.

24. I’ll never be satisfied until I get all that I deserve.

25. I secretly believe I am better than most people.

26. I get extremely angry when criticized.

27. I get upset when people don’t notice how I look in public.

28. I am apt to show off if I get the chance.

29. I have a strong will to power.

30. I am great at a lot of things compared to most people.

*1987 American Psychological Association. Adapted with permission from Emmons, R.A. (1987). Narcissism: Theory and measurement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(I), 11017, Further reproduction/distribution prohibited without written permission of APA.

Narcissism Deficits (ND):

Add items 1-10 and enter your score here:

Health Narcissism (HN):

Add items 11-20 and enter your score here:

Extreme Narcissism (EN):

Add items 21-30 and enter your score here:

UNDERSTANDING YOUR SCORE

The scale breaks down into three “factors.” Think of these like three large piles the items fall into mathematically. All three are related to narcissism (or the lack of it). But they predict dramatically different patterns of behaviour. Each factor is also a rough indicator of different positions on the spectrum.

As you can tell by the name of each score, the first total represents your placement on the left the spectrum, the second reflects our tendency toward the centre (or healthy narcissism), and the third gives you a rough sense of how far you are to the right.

As you can also probably tell, the only factor it is good to score high on is healthy narcissism. That’s because we designed the scale to mirror the spectrum. It’s the extremes (too little and too much narcissism) that cause all the trouble.

See below for a quick guide to what your scores mean:

THE NARCISSISM SPECTRUM

abstinence

habit

moderation

habit

abstinence

DO I HAVE JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF NARCISSISM?

Is your HN score at least 43? If not, go on to look at the Narcissism Deficits section on page 53.

If you scored 43 or higher and this score is higher than your other scores, skip to the Healthy Narcissism section on page 54 and read all about your blessings. You’re right where you want to be, at around 5 on the spectrum.

DO I HAVE TOO LITTLE NARCISSISM?

Is your ND score higher than 35?

If yes, and it is also higher than your other scores, you are squarely in Echo’s range, 1 to 3 on the spectrum.

DO I HAVE TOO MUCH NARCISSISM?

Is your EN score 35 or higher? If yes, go to the extreme Narcissism section on page 53.

A good rule of thumb is: If you score high on Extreme Narcissism, you are at least around a 7 or 8 on the spectrum, regardless of your other scores.

That’s because we designed the scale with the assumption that unhealthy narcissists would paint themselves in the best possible light on everything (their usual modus operand ion paper and pencil tests). That means they’d score high on healthy narcissism and extreme narcissism.

FINDING YOUR SPACE ON THE SPECTRUM?

If you’re happy with what you’ve already learned, you needn’t go any further. But to pinpoint your precise location on the spectrum, you’ll have to do a little more work. Right now, you may have a rough sense of where you fall. Without more information, it is hard to distinguish between 2 and 3 or 7 and 8. And if you are one of the rare folks who scored, for example, high on EN and ND, you will need to dig a little deeper.

We will consider each score, in turn.

NARCISSISM DEFICITS: special fears

The average score for Narcissism Deficits (NG) is 28. If you scored between 28 and 34 (or lower), you are doing fine. But as scores rise, expect to see more problems.

People who score high (35 or above) on ND tend to:

• Suffer from low self-esteem

• Subjugate themselves to their partner’s wishes and needs

• Feel undeserving/under entitled

• Struggle to give and receive emotion support

• Feel pessimistic

• Be modest

•Feel anxious, depressed, and emotionally fragile

The two statements that best define this group are “I’m not sure what I want or need in my relationships” and “When people ask me my preferences, I am often t a loss.”

If you scored 25 to 41, you are probably at around 2 on the spectrum.

If you scored 42 or higher, give yourself a 1.

The vast majority of people who score high on this factor won’t score high on the other two. If you scored high on this one, it is likely this will be your only high score.

If you’re at 28 or lower, you are in pretty good shape; you can at least tolerate feeling special enough to benefit you and those you love from time to time. Picture yourself around a 3 on the spectrum. You might even be higher than that. But to find out, we have to examine your healthy narcissism score.

HEALTHY NARCISSISM: special joys

The average for Healthy Narcissism (HN) is 39. If you scored well below that, 35 and under, keep yourself exactly where you were on the spectrum. A lower score here just confirms that you don’t necessarily enjoy feeling special (though you might tolerate it).

If you scored at least average, congratulations: place yourself at 4 on the spectrum. You’re moving up!

If you scored at least 43 to 46, give yourself a 5.

If you scored 47 or higher, give yourself a 6.

Now comes the good news. People who score high on this factor tend to:

• Be calm, optimistic, and cheery

• Possess high self-esteem

• Excel at giving and receiving emotional support

• Experience a sense of purpose in life

• Be self-disciplined

• Be trusting, enjoying closeness and emotional intimacy

• Feel deserving, but not over entitled

The two statements that best define healthy narcissism are “I like to dream big, but not at the expense of my relationships” and “I can rein myself in when people tell me I’m getting a big head.”

Interestingly, people with a high HN score are more likely to view not just themselves as special (for example, more attractive and intelligent, less selfish, or impatient than most people); they also see their partners as better than others, too. They truly see themselves – and the people they love – through rose-coloured glasses. Unless, that is, they rank high on the next score, too.

If you’ve come this far, you’re ready for the big reveal. Have you slipped past the centre?

EXTREME NARCISSISM: clinging to special

The average EN score is 27. Most people disagree with or feel neutral about the majority of items on this factor.

If you scored 27 or below, you can keep your spectrum estimate where it is. But as people score higher on EN, problems begin to mount.

If you scored 35 to 41, consider yourself a 7 on the spectrum.

If you scored 42 and above, give yourself an 8.

A 9 is entering the territory or pathology. You can’t use self-report measures to diagnose a personality disorder. It is not accurate enough – and you need a mental health professional to provide a formal diagnosis. But if you scored

higher than 42, you should probably read through the description of what 9 looks like. You are fast approaching it.

High scores on EN tend to:

• Have fluctuating self-esteem

• Struggle to give and receive emotional support

• Be entitled, manipulative, and approval seeking

• See themselves as better than their partners) and most everyone else)

• Seem argumentative, uncooperative, and selfish

·• Seem unemotional (apart from anger and thrill seeking)

• Experience significant conflicts at work

The two statements that most define this group are “I secretly believe I am better than most people” and I’ll never be satisfied until I get all that I deserve.”

People who score high on extreme narcissism seem a little healthier than people with narcissism deficits; for example, they’re more optimistic and seem to like their lives and themselves (they choose statements such as “when I look at my life, I am pleased with how things have turn out”). They also claim to be less anxious and depressed than people on the left. But their pattern of apparent strengths pales in comparison to the figs displayed by people in the center. Their ego is brittle and easily shattered; they protect themselves by boasting about their gifts or blaming others (or even attacking them) when their self-image is threatened. And their relationships clearly suffer from their argumentative, careless approach with other people.

HELP I DON'T FIT THE NORMAL PATTERNS!

In rare instances, people score high on narcissism deficits and high on extreme narcissism. If your scores reflect that pattern, it likely means that you vacillate between extremes of feeling worthless and feeling superior. Even if you don’t say it, you might have impossibly grandiose dreams, usually about being in charge or showing people you are better than they are.

Most people who score high on extreme narcissism would never think to agree with “I often defer to other people’s opinions. “Likewise, the majority of people with a lot of narcissism deficits feel completely undeserving – the polar opposite of entitled.

But when a self-doubting, withdrawn style combines with a pattern of rage, envy, and extreme entitlement, both scores become elevated. That’s the hallmark of introverted narcissism. If you show that pattern, you’re highly narcissistic, but either introverted by nature or beaten down by a series of failures.

You’re at least around a 7 on the spectrum; higher if you scored 42 or above on EN. This pattern isn’t unusual if you feel superior to everyone in your mind, but the world refuses to confirm your opinion. You look like someone who lacks narcissism, but you probably cling to feeling special and you are not getting enough attention to feed your habit. People close to you will see the entitlement and arrogance, but your work colleagues probably see someone riddled with anxiety and self-doubt.

By now, you should have a much clearer idea of where you – or people you love – fall in the spectrum. Use that knowledge throughout the book. You’ll be better prepared to understand how and why the people around you act as they do. And you’ll be able to spot a dangerous narcissist from a mile away.