ORIGINAL PAPER
The frequency of narcissistic traits in medical and psychology students in Poland and France
1
Department of Sociology of Medicine and Medical Communication, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
2
Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
3
Department of Gastroenterology, Self-Dependent Health Care Unit of Ministry of Interior and Administration, Gdansk, Poland
4
Department of Psychology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
5
Department of Psychology, University of Caen-Normandy, Caen, France
These authors had equal contribution to this work
Submission date: 2024-09-27
Final revision date: 2025-03-23
Acceptance date: 2025-04-11
Online publication date: 2025-08-28
Corresponding author
Agata A. Rudnik
Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background:
Research indicates that narcissistic traits negatively correlate with empathy and may significantly predict interpersonal behaviors. Narcissism is also associated with a higher risk of addiction and mental health issues, making its analysis among future healthcare workers particularly important.
Participants and procedure:
A cross-sectional study was conducted using a quantitative method with the computer-assisted web interview (CAWI) technique on a group of 1,092 medical and psychology students in Poland and France. The NPI-40 test was used to analyze narcissism. The study was fully anonymous and voluntary. Students were invited to participate through university mailing systems and information posted on social media platforms.
Results:
Our study found differences in NPI-40 scores based on gender, country, and field of study. Men scored higher than women in both France (M = 10.60, SD = 6.00) and Poland (M = 12.90, SD = 6.60), with a statistically significant gender effect. While medical students had slightly higher scores than psychology students, the difference was not significant. However, gender–field interactions varied by country: in France, male medical students scored higher than male psychology students, whereas in Poland, psychology students had higher scores than medical students. Despite these findings, the models explained only 5% of the variance in France and 3% in Poland, suggesting that other factors contribute to narcissism levels in this studied population.
Conclusions:
These results may prove important in designing programs that support students’ mental health and interventions aimed at improving interpersonal relationships, especially in the case of Polish medical students.
Research indicates that narcissistic traits negatively correlate with empathy and may significantly predict interpersonal behaviors. Narcissism is also associated with a higher risk of addiction and mental health issues, making its analysis among future healthcare workers particularly important.
Participants and procedure:
A cross-sectional study was conducted using a quantitative method with the computer-assisted web interview (CAWI) technique on a group of 1,092 medical and psychology students in Poland and France. The NPI-40 test was used to analyze narcissism. The study was fully anonymous and voluntary. Students were invited to participate through university mailing systems and information posted on social media platforms.
Results:
Our study found differences in NPI-40 scores based on gender, country, and field of study. Men scored higher than women in both France (M = 10.60, SD = 6.00) and Poland (M = 12.90, SD = 6.60), with a statistically significant gender effect. While medical students had slightly higher scores than psychology students, the difference was not significant. However, gender–field interactions varied by country: in France, male medical students scored higher than male psychology students, whereas in Poland, psychology students had higher scores than medical students. Despite these findings, the models explained only 5% of the variance in France and 3% in Poland, suggesting that other factors contribute to narcissism levels in this studied population.
Conclusions:
These results may prove important in designing programs that support students’ mental health and interventions aimed at improving interpersonal relationships, especially in the case of Polish medical students.
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