Children, when they are young, are inherently selfish as that’s how they get their needs met. In fact, it’s normal for kids up to around age 3 – 5 to be extremely selfish (narcissistic). This is where the roles of their environment and caregivers teach them to begin looking outside of themselves and consider the world around them.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is more than just selfishness and vanity. It’s a complete psychological split created by emotional trauma, which leaves the person with such incredible feelings of shame, unworthiness and self-loathing that they cannot bear to be in that existence any longer. This trauma and split in the psyche usually occurs during the childhood years (up to age 12) as the child’s emotional state is still developing. There is also evidence to suggest that NPD can be genetic.
The effects of narcissism can take some years to reveal themselves. Psychologists state that the symptoms must be present for five years before the age of 18 for a diagnosis of child NPD to occur.
By the time the child has grown up and is moving through adulthood, the narcissistic tendencies are much easier to spot and well and truly entrenched by that point.
If you’re questioning if your child has NPD, take the ‘Is My Child a Narcissist?’ quiz for further clarity.
The ‘Is My Child a Narcissist?’ quiz can be used for children under 18 as well as adult children.
| DISCLAIMER: This ‘Is My Child a Narcissist?’ quiz is to be used for personal awareness and educational purposes only. It is not a diagnosis. Please seek a professional therapist who has experience dealing with narcissism for further help and information. |
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‘Is My Child a Narcissist?’ Quiz
| Instructions |
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| 1. Fill out the quiz 2. Press ‘NEXT’ 3. Scroll back up the page to the blue submit button 4. Press ‘SUBMIT’ 5. Your score will be calculated |
What Does Your Score Mean?
- 0 – 50 = It’s UNLIKELY that your child is a narcissist
- 51 – 69 = It’s POSSIBLE that your child is a narcissist
- 70 – 100 = It’s LIKELY that your child is a narcissist
▶️ VIDEO: Is My Child a Narcissist? – Quiz
Narcissistic Personality Disorder in Children
Below are the general symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, which are relevant no matter how old the person is.
General symptoms of NPD:
- Inflated sense of superiority
- Eagerness to associate themselves with people they also view as superior
- Entitlement (feel like they have the right to something just because of “who they are”)
- Arrogance
- Belittling & devaluing of others
- Envy (of others & belief that others are envious of them)
- Excessive need to be admired and have attention
- Exploitation of others
- Volatile emotions due to fragile ego
- Inflated sense of self-importance, talent, or success
- Belief & fantasies of unlimited access to resources (e.g. power, sex, money, and attractiveness)
- Belief that they are unique and special
- Deep inner shame, self-loathing & disgust (but refuse to acknowledge it)
- Lack of empathy
- Perfectionism
- Belief that they are a flawless human being
Narcissism can manifest in different ways for children who are still dependent on caregivers and developing as a person. Here are some of the various things to look out for.
How this can manifest in children with NPD:
- Upheaval in friendships and relationships
- Living in a fantasy reality
- Excessive sensitivity to criticism
- Excessive social media activity (creating a fantasy life to gain admiration and attention)
- Expectation of special treatment
- Regularly checking mirrors & looking at themselves in photos
- Inflated ego
- Putting others down to try and elevate themselves
- Lying to justify their behaviours
- Suspiciousness
- Tantrums & raging beyond what is considered normal
- Manipulating others to get what they want
- Not showing remorse for wrongdoings
Hopefully the ‘Is My Child a Narcissist?’ quiz and the above information have given you a better idea of whether or not your child may have NPD. If you think this is the case, you may need to seek professional advice on how to move forward.
If you’re dealing with an adult narcissistic child, below is a little more information on how children with NPD tend to treat their parents in adulthood.
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Posts About Narcissistic Children
- How Do Narcissists Treat Their Parents?
- 6 Tips for Dealing with a Narcissistic Adult Child
- QUIZ: Is My Sibling a Narcissist?
- QUIZ: Is My Child a Narcissist?
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taking quiz due to recognize wether my second has narcissistic character.
It’s so sad, but answering the questions was painful.
It is a very hard thing for a parent to consciously realise. I’m so sorry. Knowledge can make moving forward a little easier, though.