The relationship between primary and secondary psychopathy and motives for the maintenance of self-concept

Cilj provedenog istraživanja bio je ispitati obrazac povezanosti primarne i sekundarne psihopatije te tendencije za samouljepšavanjem i samozaštitom. Također je ispitana i potencijalna medijatorska uloga samopoštovanja i narcizma kao i moderatorska uloga anksioznosti u tom odnosu. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku od 250 studenata i studentica osječkog Sveučilišta. Sudionici su ispunjavali Levensonovu skalu samoprocjene psihopatije, Skalu strategija samouljepšavanja i samozaštite, Rosenbergovu skalu samopoštovanja i skraćenu verziju Upitnika narcizma. Također su ispunjavali i Zungovu skalu samoprocjene anksioznosti koja je korištena kao moderatorska varijabla u svrhu preciznijeg određivanja primarne i sekundarne psihopatije. Rezultati upućuju na povezanost primarne psihopatije s većom tendencijom korištenja obje vrste strategija, dok je sekundarna povezana samo s većom tendencijom korištenja strategija samozaštite. Također, narcizam se pokazao kao medijator odnosa primarne psihopatije i strategija samouljepšavanja, a samopoštovanje medijator odnosa sekundarne psihopatije i tih strategija. Rezultati analize moderirane medijacije ukazuju na postojanje indirektnog efekta psihopatije na tendenciju korištenja strategija samouljepšavanja koji se ostvaruje preko samopoštovanja kod onih osoba koje doživljavaju umjerene i visoke razine anksioznosti.The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between primary and secondary psychopathy and tendency to self-enhance and self-protect. Potential mediating role of selfesteem and narcissism was also examined, as well as moderating role of anxiety in that relationship. The study was conducted on a sample of 250 male and female students from various universities in Osijek. The participants completed the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale, the Self-Enhancement and Self-Protection Strategies Scale, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory-16. They also completed Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale which served as a moderator variable for the purpose of a more precise determination of primary and secondary psychopathy. The results indicate that primary psychopathy was associated with a greater tendency to use both types of strategies, while secondary psychopathy was associated only with a greater tendency to use self-protection strategies. Also, narcissism mediated the relationship between primary psychopathy and selfenhancement strategies, while self-esteem mediated the relationship between secondary psychopathy and self-enhancement strategies. Results of moderated mediation analysis indicate that self-esteem mediated the effect of psychopathy on tendency to use selfenhancement strategies, but that that indirect effect was more pronounced among those relatively moderate or high in anxiety