Recent Innovations in Psychology

Recent Innovations in Psychology

The Structural Model of Narcissistic Tendencies Based on Childhood Trauma and the Quality of Interpersonal Relationships with the Mediating Role of Inferiority Feelings

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Razieh Hemmati 1
Jamshid Rahimi 2
1 MSc. in Clinical Psychology, Qom Medical Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran
2 PhD. in Psychiatry, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
10.22034/rip.2025.518873.1097
Abstract
The present study aimed to examine the goodness-of-fit of a model of narcissistic tendencies based on childhood trauma and the quality of interpersonal relationships, with the mediating role of inferiority feelings. This research is fundamental in terms of its objective and employs structural equation modeling as its methodology. A total of 200 high school students from Kuhdasht County (a city in Iran) were selected using convenience sampling during the 2024–2025 academic year. Data collection was conducted using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Quality of Relationships Inventory (QRI), the Comparative Feelings of Inferiority Index (CFII), and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI). Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling with the Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) approach. The results indicated that the proposed model demonstrated a good fit. The findings revealed significant direct effects of childhood trauma and interpersonal relationship quality on inferiority feelings (P< 0.01). Nevertheless, the mediating role of inferiority feelings in the associations of childhood trauma and interpersonal relationship quality with narcissistic tendencies was not substantiated (P> 0.05). This suggests that variables other than inferiority feelings may serve as mediators in this context.
Keywords
childhood trauma
inferiority feeling
narcissistic tendencies
interpersonal relationship quality
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 24 April 2025
  • Revise Date 27 May 2025
  • Accept Date 29 May 2025
  • First Publish Date 21 March 2026