A new study published in Acta Psychologica suggests that specific personality “dark triad” traits linked to manipulative and self-centered behavior may increase the risk of burnout in academic settings, particularly through perfectionistic tendencies. Researchers found that traits like Machiavellianism and psychopathy are associated with burnout in university students, with perfectionistic self-presentation playing a key role in this connection.
The “dark triad” is a set of three personality traits known for their socially aversive qualities: Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. While each trait has distinct characteristics, they share certain features, such as a tendency toward self-promotion, emotional detachment, and manipulation. People high in Machiavellianism are known for their manipulative, strategic, and often exploitative behavior, with a cynical view of human nature.
Narcissism is characterized by grandiosity, entitlement, and a focus on personal superiority. Finally, psychopathy encompasses traits like impulsivity, thrill-seeking, a lack of empathy, and disregard for others’ well-being. Although these traits don’t reach levels seen in clinical disorders, they can still influence behavior in negative ways, especially in competitive or high-pressure environments.
Burnout is a prevalent issue in academic settings, characterized by emotional exhaustion, detachment, and a sense of reduced personal efficacy. Previous studies have shown that certain personality traits, like neuroticism, increase vulnerability to burnout, but the role of darker traits is less understood. Since individuals with dark triad traits often have high expectations for personal success but tend to disregard collaborative norms or struggle with emotional regulation, they may be more susceptible to the pressures of academic life.
“I’ve always been fascinated by forensic psychology, which led me to choose it as both my undergraduate major and my focus for graduate study. When I explored the concept of the dark triad—narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy—I became especially interested in examining these toxic personality traits in depth,” said study author Melissa Klerks, who conducted the research while studying for her master’s degree at Tilburg University.
“Given the growing prevalence of academic burnout, I was intrigued to find that recent research links certain personality traits with an increased vulnerability to burnout, especially among students. This discovery sparked my curiosity: could dark triad traits also make individuals more susceptible to burnout in academic settings?”
“Perfectionistic self-presentation could be particularly interesting to study because it highlights a unique, socially-driven aspect of perfectionism that may be especially relevant in demanding environments like academia. Perfectionistic self-presentation is focused on appearing perfect to others, which brings its own set of psychological challenges and stressors, often leading to chronic stress and eventually burnout.”
The study involved 304 undergraduate and graduate students aged 18 to 27. Most participants identified as White, with a smaller proportion identifying as Black, Asian, Hispanic, or other ethnicities. The students completed a survey that included several self-report instruments measuring their levels of Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism, and perfectionistic self-presentation, as well as burnout.
To gauge burnout, the study used the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey, a common tool for measuring burnout in academic settings. This tool assesses three main dimensions: emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and a sense of reduced personal accomplishment. Participants were also asked about perfectionistic self-presentation, which is the tendency to project a flawless image, avoid displaying imperfection, and keep imperfections hidden from others.
The researchers found that students who scored higher in Machiavellianism and psychopathy were more likely to report symptoms of burnout, particularly when they felt compelled to present a flawless image, avoid showing imperfection, or hide their mistakes. Each of these aspects of perfectionism strengthened the link between these traits and burnout, though the effect sizes were small.
The researchers suggest that individuals high in Machiavellianism may be prone to burnout due to their tendency toward cynicism, a core feature of academic burnout. Psychopathy, on the other hand, may increase burnout due to emotional detachment or lack of empathy, which can lead to social isolation.
Unlike Machiavellianism and psychopathy, narcissism’s relationship with burnout was more complex. Only one aspect of perfectionistic self-presentation—hiding imperfections—significantly mediated the relationship between narcissism and burnout. Narcissists who were driven to hide their mistakes were more prone to burnout, suggesting that they may fear perceived failures could damage their carefully crafted self-image. Interestingly, while narcissism often involves self-promotion, this trait did not show a significant connection to burnout when it came to appearing perfect.
“What surprised me most in the findings was that despite the challenges commonly associated with detecting significant mediation effects, our study found robust evidence of multiple mediations,” Klerks told PsyPost. “This suggests that the relationships explored in our study are indeed meaningful and highlight the importance of the identified mediators in understanding academic burnout.”
Overall, the study’s findings support the idea that perfectionistic tendencies can be a pathway through which these dark traits lead to academic burnout. Although the effects were generally small, the connections were significant enough to indicate that perfectionism, especially hiding flaws, can turn the pressures of academic settings into burnout risks for those with dark traits.
“Burnout is a significant issue among students, and addressing it early on is essential for long-term well-being,” Klerks said. “Our study emphasizes the need to focus on managing perfectionistic tendencies and the dark triad personality traits for prevention and intervention of burnout within academia. Insights from this research can help make academia a healthier, more supportive environment, and it opens conversations about well-being in educational spaces where performance pressures are high.”
This study contributes to the understanding of burnout in students but has some limitations. Since it was a self-reported survey, participants might have responded in socially desirable ways, potentially underreporting traits seen as negative. The study was also limited to students within a Dutch university, so the findings might not generalize to other cultures or demographic groups.
“While this research is an important step forward, the results do not establish causality,” Klerks said. “Additionally, there is a lack of evidence on why the connection between the dark triad and perfectionistic tendencies makes people more vulnerable to experience burnout—problematic emotion regulation could be the common factor. Therefore, further research is necessary.”
“This research started as my master’s thesis and was developed into a publication with support from Dr. Elien de Caluwé, my thesis supervisor, and Roberta Dumitrescu. Long-term, I’d love to expand on my master’s thesis by doing longitudinal studies to explore causal relationships more directly. By tracking these patterns over time, I hope to better understand how traits like perfectionism and personality impact burnout and well-being, which could help shape healthier academic and professional environments.”
The study, “The relationship between the Dark Triad and academic burnout mediated by perfectionistic self-presentation,” was authored by Melissa Klerks, Roberta Dumitrescu, and Elien De Caluwé.
