Narcissistic personality traits appear to reduce reproductive success

A study conducted in Serbia found that individuals with higher levels of narcissism tend to have fewer children. These individuals also report stronger negative childbearing motivations—that is, reasons for not wanting children. This pattern was especially pronounced among those with higher levels of vulnerable narcissism. The study was published in Evolutionary Psychological Science.

Narcissism is a personality trait characterized by self-centeredness, an inflated sense of self-importance, and difficulties with empathy. It is commonly divided into two main forms: grandiose narcissism and vulnerable narcissism. Grandiose narcissism involves overt self-confidence, dominance, entitlement, and a desire for admiration and power. People high in grandiose narcissism are often socially bold and charismatic, but they may also be exploitative and dismissive of others.

In contrast, vulnerable narcissism is marked by insecurity, sensitivity to criticism, social withdrawal, and fragile self-esteem. Individuals with this trait may appear modest or shy but often harbor internal feelings of superiority and resentment. While grandiose narcissists typically externalize blame and seek attention, vulnerable narcissists are more prone to anxiety and depression. Both forms share a core of self-centeredness but differ in how self-worth is maintained and how individuals relate to others.

Study authors Janko Međedović and Nikoleta Jovanov aimed to explore how narcissism relates to fertility, defined as the number of biological children an individual has. They also examined whether this relationship is mediated by childbearing motivations, romantic attachment styles, and relationship characteristics.

The sample included 953 adults residing in Serbia, 56% of whom were male. The average age of participants was approximately 35 years. The authors noted that participants were, on average, more highly educated than the general Serbian population. At the time of data collection, 59% of participants had no children, 19% had two, 18% had one, and 4% had three children.

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Participants completed measures assessing narcissism (using the Pathological Narcissism Inventory), childbearing motivations (via the Childbearing Motivations Scale), and romantic attachment (through the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory). They also reported the number of biological children they had, their number of sexual partners, satisfaction with their romantic relationships, the duration of their longest relationship, and their age at first childbirth (or desired age if they had no children).

The results showed that having more children was associated with longer romantic relationships, slightly more sexual partners, greater relationship satisfaction, stronger positive childbearing motivations, and less negative motivation to avoid parenthood. Individuals who had more secure attachment styles also tended to have more children.

By contrast, individuals with higher levels of narcissism—both grandiose and vulnerable—had fewer children on average. These individuals also reported stronger negative motivations for avoiding parenthood. This association was especially strong among those high in vulnerable narcissism.

Higher narcissism was also linked to less secure romantic attachment. Individuals with greater levels of narcissism tended to have shorter romantic relationships, and in the case of vulnerable narcissism, slightly lower satisfaction with their romantic relationships.

The study sheds light on the links between narcissism and fertility. However, it should be noted that the majority of study participants did not have any children, meaning that the variability of this indicator was very limited. Additionally, the design of the study does not allow any causal inferences to be derived from the result.

The paper, “Explaining the Links Between Narcissism and Fertility: Are There Differences Between the Grandiose and Vulnerable Component?,” was authored by Janko Međedović and Nikoleta Jovanov.