Narcissism decreases with age, but people who are more narcissistic as children tend to remain so as adults.
Research from a comprehensive study indicates that while narcissistic traits generally decrease from childhood to old age, individual levels compared to peers remain consistent. The study, which included data from over 37,000 individuals, points to the stability of narcissism as a personality trait over a lifetime.
Understanding Narcissism Through Lifespan
According to a study published by the American Psychological Association, people tend to become less narcissistic as they age from childhood through older adulthood. However, differences among individuals remain stable over time — people who are more narcissistic than their peers as children tend to remain that way as adults, the study found.
“These findings have important implications given that high levels of narcissism influence people’s lives in many ways — both the lives of the narcissistic individuals themselves and, maybe even more, the lives of their families and friends,” said lead author Ulrich Orth, PhD, of the