A Mixed Method Exploration of Gender, Self-Esteem, Narcissistic Traits, and Aggression in a Youth Justice Sample

Abstract

The relationship between gender, self-esteem, narcissistic traits, and aggression was evaluated in a sample of justice-impacted youth (JIY). Forty-two audio-recorded interviews (n = 21 boys; n = 21 girls) with equal representation of low, moderate, and high self-esteem scoring JIY were selected. Narcissistic features could be reliably coded retrospectively; common features included: arrogance, interpersonal exploitation, and lack of empathy or shame. No gender differences emerged in feature frequency or type. Correlational analyses revealed that narcissistic traits were significantly correlated with self-report measures of aggression; only girls evidenced this relationship. A potential gendered relationship between narcissistic features and aggression merits further investigation.