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."

"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 interpret status threats. As a result, they're more likely to pursue dominance at the expense of others. Long-term studies link narcissism with bullying and social dominance behaviors that persist over time."

Many adolescent behaviors resemble narcissistic symptoms, including grandiosity, hypersensitivity to criticism, craving for social media approval, and condescension toward peers. Some teens show dominance-seeking, entitlement, and aggression that exceed normal adolescent egocentrism. Developmental identity formation and fluctuating self-esteem explain much adolescent behavior, but persistent rigidity and dominance patterns indicate emerging narcissistic traits. Standard measures like the Childhood Narcissism Scale detect superiority and entitlement linked to bullying and social dominance. Competitive, rank-focused school and athletic environments can amplify these behaviors. Distinguishing admiration-seeking, dominant teens from those with fragile self-esteem guides clinical judgment and decisions about diagnosis.

Read at Psychology Today