Table_2_Narcissistic traits and compassion: Embracing oneself while devoiding others.docx

Grandiose narcissistic traits refer to exploitative and arrogant attitudes, while vulnerable narcissistic traits entail hypersensitivity to judgment and low self-esteem. Little is known about how individuals with narcissistic traits can improve their attitudes toward themselves and others. The current research puts self- and other compassion forward as possible targets to alleviate some of destructive patterns of narcissism. Generally, self-compassion (SC) has previously been associated with beneficial effects on psychological wellbeing, while other compassion (OC) is advantageous for interpersonal relationships. This study explored the relationship between narcissistic traits and the efficacy of experimental compassion inductions. Student and community participants (N = 230, Mage = 27.41, 65.2% female) completed grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic trait, SC and OC state questionnaires, and either an SC or OC induction. It was expected that individuals with higher narcissistic traits (particularly grandiose traits) would benefit from the inductions and show higher SC after but would have greater difficulty showing meaningful increases in OC (especially OC directed at the general population). The results indicated that individual differences in grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits are related to the magnitude of improvements following the inductions: the theorized lack of SC in individuals with vulnerable oversensitivity to judgment traits seems possible to be counteracted through different types of compassion exercises. Moreover, higher grandiose exploitativeness–entitlement and global vulnerable narcissistic traits related to less increases than others. However, directly inducing OC in individuals with these traits was linked to greater OC improvements than improvements after inducing SC. Overall, the present findings suggest that self-compassionate behavior can be improved in individuals with high oversensitivity and that other compassionate behavior could potentially be increased if, specifically, other compassion exercises are utilized when higher levels of certain narcissistic traits are present.

宏伟型自恋特质指涉剥削和傲慢的态度，而脆弱型自恋特质则包含对评判的过度敏感和自尊心低下。关于具有自恋特质个体如何改善其对自身和他人的态度，知之甚少。当前研究将自我同情与他者同情视为缓解自恋某些破坏性模式可能的靶点。通常，自我同情（SC）先前已被关联于对心理健康有益的效果，而他者同情（OC）则有利于人际关系的构建。本研究探讨了自恋特质与实验性同情诱导效力的关系。学生和社区参与者（N = 230，平均年龄为27.41岁，女性占比65.2%）完成了宏伟型与脆弱型自恋特质、SC与OC状态问卷，并参与了SC或OC诱导。预期具有较高自恋特质（尤其是宏伟型特质）的个体将受益于诱导，并在诱导后表现出更高的SC，但在表现出OC的显著提升方面将面临更大的困难（尤其是针对普通大众的OC）。结果显示，宏伟型与脆弱型自恋特质在个体差异与诱导后的改善幅度之间存在相关性：理论上，具有脆弱型过度敏感于评判特质个体缺乏SC的可能性，似乎可以通过不同类型的同情练习得到弥补。此外，较高的宏伟型剥削性-特权感和全球脆弱型自恋特质与较其他个体更少的增加相关。然而，直接诱导具有这些特质的个体的OC与SC诱导后的OC改善相比，关联到更大的OC改善。总体而言，当前的研究发现表明，在具有高敏感度的个体中，自我同情行为可以得到改善，若在存在较高某些自恋特质水平的情况下，特定地利用他者同情练习，他者同情行为可能得以潜在增加。