Teenager—or Young Narcissist? |
From the outside, many adolescent behaviors can closely resemble classic symptoms of narcissism. Your teen may make grandiose claims, be ultra-sensitive to criticism, be ravenous for "likes" on social media, and act condescending to their peers. He may have a history of bullying, or she might engage in hurtful "mean girl" behavior. As a parent, you worry: Is this a passing phase or a sign of budding mental health issues?
Developmentally, some of this behavior is normal—during adolescence, a child's identity is under construction, and the need for social affirmation looms large. However, research shows that narcissistic traits like grandiosity, entitlement, and the need for admiration can become observable in late childhood and the teen years. At that age, we see them tied to specific patterns like dominance-seeking and aggression that exceed everyday teen egocentrism. The key for diagnostics is to differentiate normal adolescent growth, which fluctuates, from the rigidity found in young people who are developmentally stuck.
On standard measures like the 10-item Childhood Narcissism Scale (CNS), some adolescents demonstrate superiority and entitlement. Teens who score higher on narcissism scales tend to have stronger needs to be seen as special, which makes them quicker to........