Abstract

Background: Narcissistic personality traits have garnered increasing attention in psychological research, particularly within academic environments where student behavior and performance are critical. Understanding these traits and their influencing factors is essential for improving student well-being and academic outcomes. Specific Background: The impact of gender and field of study on narcissistic traits among university students remains underexplored. Kernberg's (1970) theoretical framework provides a basis for investigating these traits through empirical measures. Knowledge Gap: While previous studies have examined narcissism broadly, there is limited research focusing specifically on how gender and academic specialization affect narcissistic traits among university students. Aims: This study aimed to identify narcissistic personality traits among university students and examine variations based on gender and field of study using a newly developed Narcissistic Personality Scale. Results: The research, involving 376 students from the University of Basra, utilized a 35-item scale validated through rigorous psychometric testing. The results indicated that the average narcissism score was significantly higher than the hypothesized mean. Male students exhibited higher levels of narcissism compared to female students, and humanities students scored higher than their scientific counterparts. Novelty: This study provides new insights into the prevalence and variance of narcissistic traits among university students, highlighting significant differences related to gender and academic specialization. Implications: The findings underscore the need for university programs to address narcissistic traits and their impact on student behavior and academic performance. Future research should investigate the longitudinal effects of narcissism and evaluate interventions aimed at reducing these traits.

Highlights:

1. Gender differences: males show higher narcissism.
2. Humanities students exhibit more narcissistic traits.
3. Calls for targeted university interventions.

Keywords: narcissistic personality, university students, gender differences, academic specialization, psychometric scale

Introduction

Problem of the Research:

Personality is the first and last part of psychology, and accordingly it is the most complex aspect of it, and in one aspect it constitutes all of psychology. There is no experiment in psychology that does not add something to our knowledge of personality. It is certainly the most complex phenomenon that science has studied, and it is also one of the most complex concepts. Psychological psychology is common and used in our daily lives, as we usually hear that so-and-so has an extroverted personality, another has an extroverted personality, so-and-so has a strong and mature personality, and another has A pretentious and narcissistic personality) Al-Jagan, 2020:29).

The world's increasing attention in the current era of individualism, appearance, competition, and achievement in its various forms, whether in the academic, professional, or technological field, is given to the spread of narcissistic personality characteristics, as individual culture focuses on the self and its goals, which leads to less involvement in social relationships. In contrast, collectivist culture focuses on Society and its interests, which means that the growth of individualism and increased focus on the self encourages the growth of the narcissistic personality. This is what was explained by Millon et al (2004). The term narcissism has ancient roots and is linked to the ruling classes and wealth, but it has become more prominent in modern times, especially in late twentieth century (Millon et al., 2004: 333).

The increasing spread of narcissistic personality traits constitutes a prominent problem in the modern world, as many societies have been affected by this phenomenon, and the narcissistic personality has become a topic of interest to researchers and scientists in various fields, due to its association with undesirable behaviors in society. Individuals with a narcissistic personality are characterized by a stronger desire for revenge and the emergence of feelings There is more anger among them, as well as an unwillingness to forgive, and they are less willing to help others, which enhances the study of this phenomenon and understanding of its impact on social behavior (Deyoung 2009:40). After this spread of the narcissistic personality, it is an increasing problem and challenge among our youth, and parents and people in general suffer from Its harmful effects: This problem results from the development of behaviors that focus heavily on the self, which leads to the emergence of problems that affect individuals and the environment surrounding them. This trait (narcissism) continues with individuals over time and their suffering and wonder accelerates, which causes an expansion of the circle of negative influence on those around them and reflects These narcissistic individuals are constantly focused on themselves and their desire to maintain and display their appearance in front of others, which contributes to the complexity of social interactions and creates difficult situations for those around them (Al-Saghir, 2000:29).

The narcissistic personality is a model of relatively comprehensive and stable behavior that appears in adolescence and is confirmed in adulthood. It causes a clear defect in the cognitive, emotional, and interactive aspects and affects the individual’s life from a functional and social perspective (Al-Sarih, 2020, 61). Family relationships greatly influence the formation of narcissism, as differences in The family atmosphere and upbringing methods can lead to differences in the components of personality and self-esteem in general. Warm family relationships contribute to enhancing the feeling of security. Narcissism is considered positive when it is proportional to the surrounding environmental influence. The extent of the richness of experiences that the environment provides to the individual affects the effective formation of expectations. Conversely, poor experiences and cultural deprivation can lead to negative effects of narcissism, such as the loss of a parent, which may deprive the child of important emotional experiences that affect his personality growth, maturity, and general adaptation (Al-Shadfan, 2011:2-3).

Adolescence is an important stage in an individual’s life that must be understood, as it represents a group of changes that occur in the individual’s physical, mental, psychological, and social development, and a different group of aspects of growth that do not all reach maturity at the same time. It is the transitional stage in which the adolescent becomes a man. The teenage girl becomes a woman and many changes occur in the functions of the sex glands and mental and physical changes, and this occurs Growth at different times in different jobs (Al-Issawi, 1987:26).

The effects of the narcissistic personality on life and its psychological and social repercussions highlight the urgent necessity of studying it, especially among university students, given its extreme importance and that these students are considered the vanguard of society’s youth, and they are the pivotal group that bears its characteristics and constitutes a basic pillar for the advancement and development of society, as these students strive to occupy leadership positions. In various sectors of society, with the aim of achieving the tasks assigned to them and developing the structure Permanently social (Jaff, 1998: 8).

Due to the difficulties faced by university students, psychological problems within education have become an important area for many studies. Therefore, attention to them and the provision of psychological care are required due to the nature of this stage and the pressures they are exposed to, which makes them in urgent need of psychological support Therefore, many exploratory studies were conducted Psychological variables that affect the structure of their personality and contribute to achieving psychological balance in them. From the above it is clear that the existence of such a problem is not without great importance if it appears among a segment of university students as representing forces for preserving the structure of society, and in general through what has been presented in the literature. Which relate to the variables of this research and from reviewing some of the previous studies in this field and the researcher’s belief in the seriousness of what university students are experiencing in this critical stage that Iraqi society as a whole is going through, and through personal observation of some of the students’ narcissistic personality traits and exaggeration in self-love. And the love of excellence and transcendence. In light of this, the problem of the current research lies in answering the following question:

What is the degree of narcissistic personality among university students?

Significance of the Research

Since ancient times, the study of the human personality has occupied an important position among studies and sciences, and the evidence for this is a question that is more than 2,500 years old when Socrates said, “Know thyself.” This is what prompted some scholars to study the human personality in a scientific way to gain knowledge of human nature so that they can solve social problems and identify their causes. This group of scientists believes that difficulties and problems that are man-made can be solved, and there is another group that has a scientific tendency toward studying humans in order to develop the ability to deal well with people and adapt to them, as they believe that in order for a person to live a harmonious life in which harmony and agreement prevail with others It is necessary to know why people feel this way. Why do they think this way and why do they follow this or that path? Everyone seeks to know himself and leave it to control his emotions and control them in order to reach the highest possible degree of adaptation in this complex world (Al-Issawi, 1997: 28).

Some researchers have shown increasing interest in the subject of narcissism, and they have continued research into its nature and various levels. They have concluded that narcissism can be of a balanced nature, as a person’s self-love denotes a moderate positive level of narcissism. On the other hand, exaggerated self-love indicates unfavorable negative narcissism. On the other hand, the individual’s level of narcissism may decrease to the point of making him indifferent to himself or to the criticisms of others (Hawkley, 2011: 22).

People with a narcissistic personality believe that they have many exceptional characteristics and are entitled to the admiration of others. In addition, they often lack empathy and compassion for others they are often preoccupied with the narcissistic person is blessed with his success, intelligence, and attractiveness. What is important to him is that others see him as influential, talented, beautiful, intelligent, and persuasive. He also believes that he is entitled to special attention from others and can only be understood by people like him. Therefore, he only associates with people of high status. People with high status often believe The narcissistic personality believes that others are less important than they are, so they criticize others for their mistakes, act jealously toward the successes of others, or exploit others to meet their own needs. In general, it seems that there are two different types of people with a narcissistic personality: those who are open in social situations and the other type are not. If he is the extroverted type, he likes to drink and brag, wants to be the subject of attention, and may spend a lot of time preparing for the way he appears and expects others to treat him. If that does not happen, he feels Insulted or angry, but if he is of the other type, he wants to stay with himself and is likely to get upset when He is criticized, so he makes a great effort to protect himself from rejection (Abu Zaid: 2020: 18).

The university is a social institution that represents the top of the educational pyramid, as it has a major role in building society by producing a community of specialists who contribute to enhancing the social development process. It is considered an integral part of the social fabric, and bears the responsibility of preparing competencies who bear responsibility in building society, among other functions. University education involves developing students’ skills and abilities, shaping their values, and refining their talents, as the German thinker Karl Jaspers found about this role when he said that the university, in fact, represents the intellectual existence of society (Cabal 1993:131). The university stage is a vital period for social and economic preparation. University students strive hard to achieve their goals and ambitions, and they constitute the experience of society. The progress of society is attributed to the creativity, knowledge and competencies possessed by these students. University students hold an important place in the social structure and due to their social, cultural and economic influence on society, they are a driving force for its growth and contribute significantly to its construction. Its progress is considered a driving force for the means of production and a basic pillar in assuming the responsibilities of society and bearing its burdens (Al-Budair, 2006:16).

Based on what was mentioned, the study of the narcissistic personality deals with the behaviors of individuals who are characterized by excessive self-confidence and the need for excellence, which can affect their social interactions this personality does not recognize the needs and feelings of others, and they are always searching for admiration and the need for increased attention and do not show any sympathy. Towards others they feign kindness only to achieve their goals and feel luxurious, but behind this high feeling of exaggerated confidence, there is a fragile personality that is affected by the slightest amount of criticism. As a result of this fragile personality, they are vulnerable to depression and face major problems in personal relationships, and they exploit those relationships to a great extent. This is why their relationship with others is weak, and they often arouse the anger of others because of their disobedience to the traditional rules of behavior. Therefore, the importance of this research comes from measuring the hopeful personality of university students, especially since we live in an era of speed and change, as well as the current stage that the country is going through and the pressures it brings on people. The segment of university students is what drives them to take this path the negative concept may have a negative impact on them.

Aims of research

This research aims to identify:

1- Narcissistic personality among members of the research sample.

2 - Statistically significant differences in the narcissistic personality among the research sample according to the variable of gender (male - female) and the specialization variable (scientific - humanities).

Limits of the Research

The current research is limited to students of the University of Basra for scientific and humanities majors, for both males and females, for the academic year (2023- 2024) and for morning studies only.

Definition of the Terms

-Narcissistic personality

Everyone knows her:

-Kernberg. O.F 1970)

They are individuals who see themselves as special and unique and that they possess distinctive abilities and exaggerate them they deny their accomplishments, deny their flaws, and embrace the tendency to outperform others to protect their fragile view of self (Gabriel, 1994:143).

-Campbell et al, 2007

It is a personality trait associated with an inflated self-concept and a lack of affection and intimacy in interpersonal relationships exchanged with others (Campbell et al, 2007:18).

Procedural definition: The total score obtained by the student on the narcissistic personality scale prepared for research purposes, and the researchers adopt the definition (Kernberg 1970). provides a theoretical definition of the narcissistic personality.

Theoretical framework and previous studies

Narcissistic personality

The concept of narcissism

The concept of narcissism goes back to the famous story of Ovid, a legend from ancient Greek mythology, where there was a handsome young man named Narcissus. Many temptresses fell in love with him because of his beauty, and he cursed all the minds of the women of his time, and not a single woman escaped his love, even Echo, the most beautiful of the nymphs. She fell in love with him, which affected her greatly, because the love was one-sided, so she received divine punishment for that by withdrawing her ability to speak except for what she said in front of Narcissus when she wanted to reveal her love to him, and his cruelty and rejection of all topics of love and his rejection. “Echo in a violent manner, and continuing to break the hearts of virgins, he took revenge on the god Nemesis, as he led Narcissus to the pond to drink from it, and while he was bent over, he saw his image reflected in the water and fell in love with his image to the degree of passion, and whenever he tried to reach this beauty, she moved away from him, then returned again. He did not find any way to reach his goal, and he died flying in his reflection in the water (Budd, 1985:22).

Interest was devoted to the concept of narcissism in psychological discussions, as the first uses of this term were mainly related to its pathological nature. Over time, it became clear that narcissism is not always a negative concept, but rather a natural trait that appears to varying degrees in all individuals, especially in the stages of early childhood. Adolescence is at the beginning of their lives, as children focus primarily on themselves, and then they develop to depend on others. This pattern contributes to the development of normal narcissism, which represents the ability to socialize and interact healthily with others. In adolescence, increasing interest in narcissism appears as a natural part of important transformations, especially in It is related to body image, the formation of personal identity, and self-understanding. Adolescence requires a degree of narcissism to enhance self-confidence and self-esteem in a positive way. In this context, interest in narcissism are healthy and normal characteristics for this age stage. However, this trait can take a negative turn when it exceeds self-aggrandizement and focus. Excessive self-imposed healthy boundaries, causing problems in social interaction and relationships (Ben Jedidi,2016:89).

Narcissism is one of the vital topics in psychology, Freud pointed out several aspects that include it. He discovered that narcissism expresses a person’s interest in himself, his admiration for himself, and his desire to achieve self-satisfaction in addition to the use of some defensive mechanisms such as arrogance and separation from others. These points also include Fears and weaknesses such as fear of failure and anxiety about losing love and appreciation (Raskin & Terry, 1988: 890-902).

The concept of narcissism expresses self-love, and is one of the personality traits, as it is found in all individuals, but to varying degrees. Some of them have clear narcissism from the first meeting with them, and some have it to a small degree, and it only appears rarely, and thus it can be said that the difference between individuals in narcissism, as in other personality traits, there is a difference in degree, not in type (Zahoh, 2011: 32).

Narcissistic personality traits

Its most important features are the following:

1- Arrogance in dealing with others.

2- Dissatisfaction with the leadership of others.

3- Tends to appear and gain fame at the expense of others.

4- Reincarnating with others who have similar morals through narcissistic reincarnation to love oneself.

5-The tendency towards belittling and undervaluing others.

6- Excessive emotional anger, love of revenge, enthusiasm).

7- Absenteeism when talking to others and turning the conversation to oneself.

8-Tendency to possess.

9- Jealousy and boasting (Majid ,2015:91).

The main sources of narcissism:

1- The spoiled child: Most theories explain that the narcissistic child was born in a home where he learned that he was better than others, and that he has special rights and privileges.

2- The child dependent on others: This picture shows that one or both parents have exaggerated in doing everything to make the child’s life free of any pain.

3 - The only and deprived child: One of the most popular theories is the theory that the main source of narcissism is that the child has grown up in an environment where love is conditional in exchange for a certain performance. These children are usually criticized by one of the parents, which makes them feel that no matter what they do, this is not enough as a response. An act on these feelings of deprivation, control, and stifling or thwarting these feelings of deprivation, control, and stifling or thwarting the personality of this child, which is fragile and dear to himself. This child develops a way of life based on principles such as “I do not need to no one and no, one can be trusted and I will take care of myself.”

4- The mixed type, which has two types:

The first is spoiled and dependent on others: In this case, the child not only acts like he is special and better, but also feels that he is dependent on the parents and incompetent, because the parents, instead of making him depend on himself, increase his skills Subjectivity and functionalism as a mature person, they do the work for him.

The second is deprived and dependent on others: This type is quick to feel insulted and dependent on others, and protests against the opinion of others that support him and assure him that he is great and that they manage life for him (Behary, 2021:10).

Theories that explained narcissistic personality

First: Kernberg theory

Kernberg believes that narcissism depends on the relationship between self-representation, “the person’s self-image as he perceives it is the representation of the subject. The person perceives himself through others, where he derives most of his explanations from theories the relationship to the topic. He focused on the relationship between the child and his parents as a source of narcissism. He believes that the construction of an inflated self by the child is a means towards emotional abandonment on the part of the parents, and this will result in aggression and anger towards them this anger is translated into narcissism (Kashima et at, 2002:107).

Kernberg points out that the reason for the emergence of the narcissistic personality is parental rejection, neglect, and lack of love and empathy for children. This behavior is considered a source of their feelings of dissatisfaction and worthlessness, and drives them to desire admiration and appreciation from others. This behavior is also linked to an inappropriate and fragmented family environment, which may include death, abuse. Divorce or Separation (Mukhaymar, 2006 :221), and the role of incorrect parenting cannot be neglected and the mother’s treatment of her male children in a special way as if they were husbands or fathers, which leads to the occurrence of psychological problems such as separation from the mother as a defensive ploy and an exaggerated need for self-affirmation. Independence also includes the bad or shameful treatment by the mother of her daughters, which creates psychological problems in them, such as unhealthy integration with the mother (Philipson, 1985:213).

Kernberg calls for self-respect and appreciation, but in a reasonable and logical manner, far from extremism. The more an individual is able to value and respect himself in a logical manner, the stronger his personality will be and accepted by others. However, if he exaggerates self-esteem and respect and looks at others in an inferior or exploitative way, or becomes condescending to people, then he has transformed. To be narcissistic, unrealistic, and rejected by others. Kernberg emphasized that the thinking that narcissistic individuals do is to maintain a positive sense of self, as it prepares a mechanism to protect their fragile self. Thus, they notice themselves as distinguished and possessing special, supernatural abilities and superiority over others, and they exaggerate their achievement and self-glorification. (Bella Greberger, 2000 :35).

It is clear from this, according to Kornberg’s view, that individuals with a narcissistic personality possess the ability to work continuously and consistently, and they may be completely successful from a social standpoint, but all their work and productivity are in the service of showmanship, as these individuals lack real, deep professional interests. Kernberg called this tendency (false superiority) pseudo sublimatory in order to distinguish it from mature patterns of productivity

(Amarican Psychiatric Association, 1980:229).

Kernberg considers that the narcissistic personality comes from the parents’ treatment of their children. When a person reaches adulthood and has parents with a “higher ego” that is not arrogant, tyrannical, or violent and imposes their rules, he is able to achieve it, and it allows the individual to live most of his life in peace with himself, free from feeling burdened. If the parent’s style is characterized by anger, violence, and a lack of sufficient love, kindness, and compassion, then the child becomes more dependent on them and his hunger for the love they deny him increases, and when the superego grows, it adopts the ideals and ideals that are unrealistic for the parents (Saleh, 1988 :45).

The two researchers adopted Kornberg’s theory as a theoretical basis for explaining the narcissistic personality.

Second - Biosocial Theory (Millon, 1981)

In biosocial theory, Millon explains that narcissistic personality is not a defensive maneuver of deprivation and lack of self-esteem. Rather, narcissists have forced their parents to believe that there is no problem with being loved by others and ideal. It is also the result of the unreal exaggeration of the child’s value from his parents, which is not It is ensured by the feedback from friends and teachers, and thus narcissists are forced to give realistic praise to themselves so that they can live in this world in which they lived isolated and from which they did not find social encouragement. It seems logical here that their indulgence in excessive encouragement and parental expectations from their parents leads to the narcissistic tendencies that appear in The presence of a sympathetic and arrogant self in them (Al-Buhairi ,2007: 54-55).

Millon (1981) points out that the narcissistic personality stems mainly from the environmental factors surrounding the individual, as these factors represent excessive leniency on the part of parents and their excessive appreciation for their children. It is also related to learning behaviors to exploit others and the narcissistic person’s belief that he is the best in himself, which results in raising children. On the basis of being spoiled and receiving special treatment towards feelings of love and emotions, these people live in this context with a growing immersion in their personal horizons, as they always expect exceptional treatment from others outside the home, and when that treatment does not meet their expectations, they show exploitative behaviors and thus develop the skills of using others to achieve their interests. Personality, with their belief that they are the most deserving of getting what they want. They also see themselves as higher than others. They consider everyone to suffer from deficiency and weakness and seek to benefit from them, including not tolerating Social Responsibility The narcissistic personality type is manifested in self-preference and disdain for those who do not share their opinion they glorify them, in addition to their adherence to their positions without tolerance for those who disagree with them (Len Sperry, 2003:157).

Previous studies dealt with narcissistic personality

- Jawda’s (2012) study: of narcissism and its relationship to neuroticism among a sample of Al-Aqsa University students.

The study aimed to find out the relationship between narcissism and neuroticism among students of the Faculty of Education at Al-Aqsa University, reveal the level of narcissism among the research sample, and find out the differences between the average scores of the sample members in narcissism, which can be attributed to gender (male - female) and place of residence (city - camp). The sample consisted of 364 male and female students, divided into (129) male and (235) female students. The researcher used two scales, one to measure narcissism prepared by her and the other to measure neuroticism derived from the Eysenck Personality Test. The results concluded that the level of narcissism was 67%. She also concluded that there was a positive and significant correlation. Between narcissism and neuroticism. The study also found differences between the average scores of the sample members in narcissism due to the variables of gender and place of residence.

-(Anwar, M. 2016) Study

(Narcissism, self-esteem and their relationship to aggression among university students)

This study was conducted in Pakistan and aimed to identify the relationship between narcissism, self-esteem, and aggression. To achieve this goal, the Narcissistic Personality Scale (Raskin & Terry, 1988), the Direct and Indirect Aggression Scale (Bjorkqvist, Lagerspelz, & Osterman, 1992), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965) were used. It was applied to a sample of university students, which amounted to (155) male and female students divided into (84) males and 71 females. After processing the data statistically, the results of the study concluded that the study sample had a narcissistic personality and it is positively related to aggression. There are large differences between the sexes in narcissism in favor of narcissism in When self-esteem is negatively related to aggression.

Methods

Research methodology

The two researchers adopted the descriptive, correlational approach, which aims to determine the current situation of the studied phenomenon and then describe it accurately. This approach is based on studying the phenomenon as it is in reality, with a focus on describing it accurately and in detail (Melhem, 2012 :324). This approach is appropriate to the nature of the current research and its objectives, as it helps to provide a comprehensive and accurate picture in light of current indicators.

Research Population

What is meant by the research community is all the elements related to the research problem to which the researcher seeks to generalize the results of his research (Odeh, 1992 :71). In light of this, the community of this research consists of students at the University of Basra, in the bachelor’s degree and morning study, for the academic year 2023-2024). The number of them is (44,876) male and female students, distributed according to gender (15,834) male and (29,042) female students, distributed among (21) colleges, including (14) scientific colleges and (7) humanities colleges. The researcher obtained data on the numbers of students from the Presidency of the University of Basra, Department of Planning.

The Research Sample:

The sample is known to be a part of the society to which this phenomenon is being studied, so the researcher chooses it according to special rules for conducting his study on it so that it represents the society correctly (Daoud and Abdel-Rahman, 1991 (67). The researcher selected the sample in a simple random way through the bag by (2) colleges. For the humanities specialization and (4) colleges for the scientific specialization, the College of Human Education, the College of Arts, the College of Nursing, the College of Education for Pure Sciences, the College of Agriculture, and the College of Science. The sample consisted of (376) male and female students from the University of Basra, distributed according to gender and specialization into (109) students, and (267). The final sample size was chosen according to the table he developed, as the selection of the appropriate size for the sample is determined in proportion to the size of the population (Krejcie & Morgan, 1970:607-610). The size of the population is determined as (17,391) corresponding to (376) the sample size, and Table (1) shows that.

Search tool:

Narcissistic personality scale

Achieving the objectives of the current research required building a narcissistic personality scale. The researcher sought to build this scale to be compatible with the literature and theoretical framework from which the research began and with the nature of the research community, in addition to following the steps that are used in constructing the scale and which were indicated by Allen & Yen (1979). which is:

1- Planning the scale: by analyzing the concept into its simplest components covered by its paragraphs.

2- Drafting items: Preparing paragraphs for each component of the scale.

3- Applying the paragraphs Applying the paragraphs to a representative sample of the research community.

4-Conducting paragraph analysis Analyze paragraphs to ensure their relevance and fit the scale (Allen & Yen. 1979:118-119).

Psychometric properties

The two researchers conducted the psychometric properties of the scale, including face validity and construct validity.

1. Extracting the discriminatory power of the scale items

The ability of the items to distinguish between individuals is one of the indicators of construct validity. (Faraj, 1980, p. 319), and the discriminatory power of the items and their validity coefficients are among the most important standard characteristics that should be verified in the items of the scale (Al-Kubaisi, 1995: 5). This has been achieved for the scale. When the discrimination coefficients for the paragraphs were extracted using the two extreme groups method, and using the second test, the results showed that all the paragraphs are distinctive.

2- Apparent honesty

The goal of this method is to know how much the scale represents the variable to be measured, and presenting the scale items to a group of arbitrators to judge their validity in measuring the characteristic to be measured is a type of validity.

(Moss, 1994:204)

Accordingly, the scale’s (38) items were presented in its initial form, its alternatives, and the theoretical definition of the variable to (30) arbitrators specialized in the field of psychological counselling, educational guidance, measurement, and evaluation. In light of the arbitrators’ observations and opinions, all of the scale’s items were accepted, with the exception of some amendments that were made to a number of Of its paragraphs, the chi-square and percentage were adopted as a criterion for the survival or deletion of paragraphs. The paragraph whose calculated value is greater than the tabular value is considered valid, and the calculated value smaller than the tabular value is considered invalid. As for the paragraphs that obtain a percentage less than (80%), they are deleted and in light of that. All paragraphs have been retained.

3. Constancy

By it, we mean reaching the same results when applying the test in two different periods and within a time range ranging from one to two weeks in most cases. Daoud and Abdel Rahman 1990, p. 122). Reliability is expressed in a quantitative form called the stability coefficient, whose value becomes between zero and one, true, and as the value increases The reliability coefficient of the scale indicates that the scale has high reliability and vice versa. The reliability of the self-management scale was extracted in two ways:

A-Test-Retest Method:

The test is applied to a specific number of subjects, then the test is repeated on the same subjects after a specific period of time. The subjects’ scores on the test are calculated the first time and their scores the second time. Then the correlation coefficient is calculated between their scores the two times. If the correlation coefficient is high, it can be said that the test Enjoy with an appropriate degree of reliability, Obaidat et al. 1999, p. 155), and the reliability coefficient reached (0.86). As in Table (2).

B -Cronbach's alpha coefficient:

It is also called the homogeneity coefficient, and Cronbach found that this coefficient is an indicator of equivalence and gives an estimated value of I.

The coefficient has good equivalence, in addition to internal consistency and homogeneity. If the value of the coefficient (A) is high, this indicates

Indeed, on the stability of test scores (Allam 2000, pp. 165-(166) and using Cronbach’s alpha equation Cronbach Alpla reached (0.909), which is a high value, as shown in Table (2).

Narcissistic personality scale in its final form

After conducting the psychometric properties of validity and reliability, the scale became in its final form consisting of (35) items, after the items numbered (20, 22, 30) were dropped through exploratory factor analysis and five alternatives: Always apply to me, apply to often, apply to sometimes, apply to a little, it does not apply to at all. The scores were given (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), so the highest possible score for the respondent in each type is (175) and his lowest score is (35), and the hypothetical average of the scale is (105) degrees, so the more The respondent's score below the hypothesized average was an indication of an increase in the narcissistic personality, and whenever his score was lower than the hypothesized average, this was an indication of a decrease in his narcissistic personality.

Result and Discussion

This chapter includes a presentation of the research results in accordance with its specific objectives and their interpretation in accordance with the theoretical framework and previous studies, after the researcher uses appropriate statistical methods to verify the objectives of the research and reach to these results, and then present a set of recommendations and proposals in the race for results, as follows:

The first goal: to identify the narcissistic personality among university students.

To achieve this goal, the narcissistic personality scale was applied in its final form to the research sample, which amounted to (376) male and female students. The results showed that the arithmetic mean of the sample’s scores reached (113.68) degrees, with a standard deviation of (22.33) degrees, while the hypothesized mean reached (105) Degree and knowledge of the significance of the difference between the arithmetic mean and the hypothetical mean. The researcher used the second test for one sample (One Sample test), and it was found that there was a statistically significant difference in the direction of the arithmetic mean, as the second calculated value reached (7.53), which is greater than the second tabulated value (1.96) at The level of significance is (0.05) and the degree of freedom is (375). This indicates that university students have a narcissistic personality, and Table (3) shows this.

This result can be explained from Kornberg’s point of view, which is the theory adopted in the current research, that the reason for the existence of the narcissistic personality is parental rejection, neglect, and lack of love and sympathy for the children. This behavior is considered a source of their feelings of dissatisfaction and worthlessness, and pushes them to desire admiration and appreciation from others. This behavior is also related to the environment. Inappropriate and broken family, which may include death, abuse, divorce, or separation, as it itself includes aspects of ambition, self-absorption, dependence on cheers and applause, psychological and emotional emptiness, and finally uncertainty about personal identity and lack of confidence in it. It becomes clear from this that in order to compensate for feelings of loss, the individual needs a degree of narcissism in order to increase his self-confidence and appreciate it in a positive way. In this case, it is considered healthy narcissism and not exaggerated. In light of this, the current study agrees with the study of Jawda (2012), which concluded that university students enjoy a level of narcissism. It also agreed with the study (2008). Miller & Cowbell) and Anwar M (2016) study that university students have a narcissistic personality.

The second goal: to identify the differences in narcissistic personality among university students according to gender variables (males –Females) specialization is (scientific-humanitarian).

In order to identify differences in narcissistic personality according to the variables of gender and specialization, the researcher used (Two way AOVA), as shown in Table 4

The statistical results in Table (4) indicated the following:

Gender: The calculated F value for the gender variable was (29.062), which is greater than the table F value at the level of significance (0.05) and two degrees of freedom (1) - (375), amounting to (3.84), which means that there are statistically significant differences in the narcissistic personality according to the gender variable. (Male (Female) When referring to the arithmetic averages, it turns out that the arithmetic average for male university students (125.82) is higher than the arithmetic average for female university students (108.09), which means that the significance is in favor of the male students.

According to this result, the matter may be attributed to the framework of incorrect parental education and the mother’s treatment of her male children in a special and incorrect manner as if they were husbands or fathers, which leads to the occurrence of psychological problems and the exaggerated need for self-affirmation and independence. Likewise, it is not possible to mention the role of society and its view of men, especially our Iraqi society. Masculine. The results of the current study agree with the study of Judeh (2012), as well as the study of (Miller & Cowbell, 2008) and the study of Anwar (2016), which concluded that males are more narcissistic than females, and thus differ with the study of (Nizar (2018)) and the study (2010 of Lootens), which No differences were revealed attributable to the gender variable (males, females).

Specialization: The calculated F-value for the specialization variable was (76.644), which is greater than the tabular F-value at the level of significance (0.05) and two degrees of freedom (1) - (375) amounting to (3.84), which means that there are statistically significant differences in the narcissistic personality depending on the specialization variable. Scientific - Humanities) When referring to the arithmetic averages, it turns out that the arithmetic average for university students from the humanities major (125.65) is higher than the arithmetic average for university students from the scientific major (100.51), which means that the significance is in favor of students with the humanitarian major. I Thus, this result shows that the type of study has an impact on the type of personality. This demonstrates that the individual’s experiences, social upbringing, and what the individual is exposed to from childhood until he reaches the university level contribute to the formation of the narcissistic personality. This result proves that students of the humanities major prefer to reach high levels of achievement. Self and achieving high grades in light of competition without resorting to unhealthy narcissistic boasting. This result differs from the study of Nizar (2018), which indicated that there are no differences between scientific and humanities specializations.

Conclusion

This study aimed to examine narcissistic personality traits among university students, considering gender and field of study. Utilizing Kernberg's (1970) theoretical framework, the researchers developed a Narcissistic Personality Scale comprising 35 items, validated and tested for reliability through rigorous psychometric methods. The final sample consisted of 376 students from the University of Basra. Statistical analysis revealed that the mean score of narcissism among the students was significantly higher than the hypothesized mean, indicating a prevalent narcissistic personality. Notably, differences were observed based on gender, with male students exhibiting higher levels of narcissism compared to females, and based on specialization, with humanities students showing greater narcissistic traits than their scientific counterparts. These findings align with previous studies suggesting that narcissism may be influenced by educational and gender-related factors. Implications of this research include the need for university programs to address narcissistic traits and their impact on student behavior and well-being. Future research could explore longitudinal effects of narcissism in academic settings and the effectiveness of interventions aimed at mitigating narcissistic behaviors

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