AUTHOR=Liang Taihe , Wang Xianfei , Ng Sanfan , Xu Xuefeng , Ning Ziheng 

TITLE=The dark side of mental toughness: a meta-analysis of the relationship between the dark triad traits and mental toughness

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1403530

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1403530

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1001"><title>Introduction</title><p>This meta-analysis investigates the relationships between the Dark Triad personality traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy) and mental toughness. Previous research has shown mixed results regarding the influence of these traits on mental toughness. The objective of this meta-analysis is to synthesize existing literature and provide a comprehensive understanding of how Dark Triad traits correlate with mental toughness.</p></sec><sec id="sec2001"><title>Methods</title><p>A comprehensive literature search was conducted in 7 databases, Data were extracted by correlation and analyzed using a random-effects model.</p></sec><sec id="sec3001"><title>Results</title><p>The results yielding 27 effect sizes with a total of 12,378 participants, revealed a significant moderate positive association between narcissism and mental toughness (<italic>r</italic> = 0.327, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), suggesting that individuals with higher levels of narcissism tend to exhibit greater mental toughness. However, no significant associations were found between Machiavellianism (<italic>r</italic> = 0.023, <italic>p</italic> = 0.719) or psychopathy (<italic>r</italic> = −0.022, <italic>p</italic> = 0.625) and mental toughness.</p></sec><sec id="sec4001"><title>Discussion</title><p>The findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the Dark Triad traits and their differential associations with adaptive psychological constructs, highlighting the unique role of narcissism in mental toughness. This meta-analysis provides valuable insights for future research and practical applications in fostering adaptive aspects of narcissism while mitigating its potential maladaptive consequences.</p></sec>