NARCISSISM, PERFECTIONISM, DEPRESSION AND WELL-BEING IN A SAMPLE OF TRANSYLVANIAN HUNGARIAN STUDENTS. EXPLORING UNIQUE RELATIONS, GENDER DIFFERENCES AND SATISFACTION WITH FAMILY INCOME

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Despite significant increases of life-conditions specific to the western world, the increasing changes at social, economic, political, cultural, etc., levels, may have significantly contributed to the development of some malfunctioning patterns (mental health indicators, narcissism, perfectionism), which may have seriously impacted overall personal and interpersonal functioning. The major aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between the three dimensions of perfectionism, narcissism, and mental health indicators as depression tendencies, subjective and psychological well-being in a sample of Transylvanian Hungarian students. Our study included 305 Transylvanian Hungarian first and second year students, from Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Sapientia, Targu-Mures, Romania, assessed on: depression symptoms, subjective well-being, psychological well-being, narcissistic traits, multidimensional perfectionism, and demographic variables (gender, age, satisfaction with family income). Our results indicate significant gender differences in narcissism. Male participants experienced significantly higher levels of happiness (subjective well-being), than female participants, who attained significantly higher levels of positive personal relationships with others, as measured with the relations sub-scale of the psychological well-being scale. Our findings also yield significant negative associations between subjective well-being and socially prescribed perfectionism, highlighting the negative effects of perfectionism on optimal human functioning. Interestingly self-oriented perfectionism presented a significant positive correlation with autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, planning in life, and self-acceptance, the strongest associations being found in the case of personal growth and planning in life. Those participants who reported moderate satisfaction with income presented significantly lower levels of adaptive functioning, while those who reported the lowest satisfaction with family income seemed to function best. Our results may be useful in the development of prevention and intervention programs, targeting the enhancement of the psychological functioning of Transylvanian Hungarian students.

Keywords

• narcissism
• perfectionism
• subjective well-being
• psychological well-being
• depression