Narcissism is a psychological feature of a person, consisting in excessive self-love, a sense of own perfection. Narcissistic ways of regulating a person's self-image help maintain a person's mental health [4].

Narcissistic traits: a grandiose sense of importance, preoccupation with fantasies, belief in one's own uniqueness, the need for constant attention and admiration, the expectation of special treatment for oneself, the use of manipulation in interpersonal relationships, deficit of empathy, a strong sense of envy, arrogant behavior [3].

Narcissistic traits can be part of a range of psychological personality traits, and in certain contexts even serve as mechanisms for self-regulation of a person's self-image, helping to maintain mental health. This does not mean that narcissism in its pathological manifestations is the norm, but it does emphasize that certain narcissistic tendencies can be adaptive. For example, a sense of self-perfection and a belief in one's own uniqueness can serve as a source of motivation, self-confidence, and resilience in the face of difficulties. Preoccupation with fantasies of future success can inspire achievement, and the need for admiration can push for actions that elicit a positive assessment from others. However, as rightly noted, the excessive development of these traits, manifested in a lack of empathy, manipulative behavior, expectation of special treatment and arrogance, goes beyond healthy self-regulation and can lead to serious problems in interpersonal relationships and social adaptation. Thus, the line between healthy self-esteem, reinforced by narcissistic elements, and pathological narcissism is thin and is determined by the degree of expression of traits, their influence on the functioning of the individual and others.

Anxiety is a specific psychological and physiological condition, which can be characterized by emotional, physiological, cognitive, and behavioral conditions. Anxiety is also an adaptation reaction, which can become a means of mobilizing the body's forces when exposed to an anxiety stimulus [2].

Personal anxiety is a stable characteristic of the emotional sphere of a person, a personality trait that indicates how much a person is prone to the manifestation and experience of anxiety. Situational anxiety arises from the outside world [1].

Hypothesis: exists is an inverse connection between narcissism and anxiety in early adolescence, namely: the higher the level of narcissism, the lower the level of anxiety, and vice versa.

Anxiety is a complex reaction of the body, including emotional, physiological, cognitive and behavioral components, and can act as an adaptive mechanism that mobilizes resources when faced with a threat. It is important to distinguish between personal anxiety, which is a stable trait that determines a general tendency to experience anxiety, and situational anxiety, which occurs as a direct reaction to specific external triggers. The hypothesis of a feedback loop between narcissism and anxiety in early adolescence suggests that developed narcissistic mechanisms, such as grandiose self-perception, belief in one's own uniqueness and the need for admiration, can serve as a kind of «shield» against anxiety. In other words, a strong belief in one's own exclusivity and the expectation of a positive assessment from others can reduce one's susceptibility to external stressful factors, thereby reducing both situational and, possibly, personal anxiety.

Sample base and characteristics: 34 respondents (17 girls and 17 men) from 18 to 21 years.

We used the following methods: the questionnaire «Narcissistic personality traits» (O. A. Shamshikova, N. M. Klepikova), «State-Trait Anxiety Inventory» (C. Spielberger, Y. L. Khanin).

Based on the results of the study, we made the following conclusions:

1. The following features of narcissism are most pronounced: preoccupation with fantasies, expectation of special treatment, manipulation in interpersonal relationships, and deficit of empathy.
2. The results of the study of anxiety allowed us to conclude that the personal anxiety of the respondents has higher values than situational anxiety. This suggests that at the moment, despite the rather high values of personal anxiety, the respondents have no serious reasons to worry.
3. Analysis and comparison of the results of the study given the following results: high values of personal anxiety correspond to medium and high values on the scales of preoccupation with fantasies, the need for constant attention, expectation of special treatment, manipulation in interpersonal relationships, over-employment with a sense of envy. Thus, it can be concluded that the level of personal anxiety affects the manifestation of narcissistic traits.
4. After conducting a correlation analysis using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, we found significant correlations between belief in one's own uniqueness, expectation of special treatment, use of manipulation in interpersonal relationships, lack of empathy and personal and situational anxiety.

The study highlights that narcissism and anxiety are not isolated phenomena, but are interrelated and interdependent. Their combined manifestation can form specific patterns of behavior and perception of oneself and others. It can be assumed that the studied group has a mechanism of coping with internal discomfort (personal anxiety) through the manifestation of narcissistic traits. These traits, while partially adaptive (such as self-reliance that motivates achievement), can also lead to problems in interpersonal relationships and a distorted perception of reality, especially under stress (situational anxiety).

Thus, the hypothesis was partially confirmed.

References:

1. Kolarkova A. V. Various views on the causes of anxiety in the works of modern researchers // Psychology, sociology and pedagogy. 2014. No.8. pp. 39–41.
2. Shamshikova O. A., Klepikova N. M. Psychology of narcissism: operationalization and verification of the phenomenon / NGPU. Novosibirsk, 2013. 296 p.
3. Solovyova S. L. Anxiety and anxiety: theory and practice // Medical psychology in Russia: electron. scientific journal 2012. No. 6 (17). URL: http://medpsy.ru (date of reference: 10/14/2024).
4. Tikhomirova O. A. The concept of anxiety in modern psychology // Intellectual resources for regional development. 2020. No.2. pp. 228–232.