The Influence of Vulnerable Narcissism on Social Anxiety among Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Self-Concept Clarity and Self-Esteem

Abstract

Social anxiety (SA) is a prevalent mental health issue among adolescents, and vulnerable narcissism (VN) can exacerbate this condition. This study aims to investigate the impact of vulnerable narcissism on social anxiety in adolescents, specifically focusing on the mediating effects of self-concept clarity (SCC) and self-esteem (SE) in the relationship between vulnerable narcissism and social anxiety. Through cluster sampling, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 982 students from three secondary schools in two provinces. The data was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results revealed that there was a significant negative correlation between vulnerable narcissism and both self-concept clarity and self-esteem, while there was a significant positive correlation between vulnerable narcissism and social anxiety. Additionally, self-concept clarity showed a significant positive correlation with self-esteem but had a negative correlation with social anxiety. Both self-concept clarity and self-esteem played an intermediary role in the chain linking vulnerable narcissism to social anxiety. This study confirms the mediating role of both self-concept clarity and self-esteem in explaining how vulnerable narcissism influences social anxiety, providing valuable insights into its underlying mechanism.