Narcissism and intimate partner violence: The mediating role of desire for power

Abstract

This study examined how distinct facets of narcissism – extraverted, antagonistic, neurotic, and communal – relate to intimate partner violence (IPV) and whether desire for power mediates these associations. Using a community sample of 515 Iranian adults in committed heterosexual relationships, participants completed validated measures of narcissism, desire for power, and three forms of IPV: physical violence, inflicted injury, and sexual coercion. Antagonistic narcissism was most consistently linked with IPV, showing direct associations with partner-inflicted injury and sexual coercion, and an indirect link with partner-directed violence via desire for power. Neurotic narcissism predicted partner-directed violence but was not mediated by power motives. Extraverted and communal narcissism were not directly related to IPV but showed positive indirect associations with partner-directed violence through desire for power. These findings highlight the multifaceted nature of narcissism and suggest that power motives play a nuanced role in the perpetration of IPV. By extending this research to a non-Western cultural context, the study underscores the importance of cultural sensitivity in understanding narcissism’s interpersonal consequences.