People who score high on certain dark triad traits may be better equipped to manage depressive symptoms, according to a new study published in Personality and Individual Differences. The findings suggest that some personality traits traditionally viewed as socially aversive might actually serve protective psychological functions, depending on how they influence coping strategies.
The research examined how various “dark” personality traits interact with coping flexibility and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. The study’s findings point to one particular trait, called Machiavellian agency, as being especially relevant. People with high levels of this trait were more likely to engage in flexible coping strategies and reported fewer symptoms of depression. This challenges the assumption that all dark traits necessarily relate to poor psychological outcomes.
The dark triad traits are Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. These traits are often linked to manipulativeness, self-importance, and lack of empathy, respectively. While commonly viewed as socially undesirable, recent studies have suggested that certain components of these traits might actually be adaptive in some contexts. For example, people high in Machiavellian agency may be assertive, self-confident, and goal-oriented. In contrast, traits such as antagonism and neuroticism, which are shared across multiple dark triad dimensions, are generally seen as maladaptive due to their links with emotional distress and conflict-prone behaviors.
This study set out to investigate how these traits relate to coping flexibility—a person’s ability to abandon ineffective coping strategies and switch to more effective ones. Coping flexibility has been identified in past research as a buffer against psychological symptoms such as depression and post-traumatic stress. The researchers were particularly interested in whether the traits categorized as adaptive (such as Machiavellian agency and narcissistic extraversion) would support more flexible coping and fewer symptoms, while those deemed maladaptive (such as narcissistic antagonism or secondary psychopathy) would show the opposite pattern.
“Our lab has been studying personality traits that are often seen as ‘dark’ and finding that they are more complex than traditionally thought,” said study author Micheala McIlvenna, a PhD student in the InteRRaCt Lab at Queen’s University of Belfast and research communications assistant for the European Journal of Personality.
“While some aspects of these traits can be socially challenging, they may also help individuals cope with stress. I noticed that existing research rarely examines all three dark triad traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy) as multidimensional, so I wanted to explore how different components of these traits relate to coping. Understanding this could provide insight into why these traits persist in society and how they intersect with mental health. While they can be interpersonally problematic, this research focuses on how people may use them in ways that help them navigate challenges.”
To investigate this, McIlvenna and her colleagues recruited 343 adult participants online. The average age was around 30, and slightly more than half identified as women. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires that measured their levels of dark triad traits using well-established tools. These included the Five-Factor Machiavellianism Inventory, which breaks Machiavellianism into agency, planfulness, and antagonism; the Five-Factor Narcissism Inventory, which includes facets like extraversion, neuroticism, and antagonism; and the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale, which distinguishes between primary and secondary psychopathy.
To measure psychological distress, participants completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. Coping flexibility was assessed using a revised version of the Coping Flexibility Scale, which captures three dimensions: the ability to abandon ineffective coping strategies, to develop new ones, and to evaluate one’s coping process overall.
The researchers used network analysis to map how the different traits, coping dimensions, and psychological symptoms were connected. Unlike traditional statistical approaches that assume a clear direction of cause and effect, network analysis allows for a more dynamic view where each variable can influence, and be influenced by, many others in the system.
Two networks were created. One included the traits expected to be adaptive—like Machiavellian agency and primary psychopathy—while the other focused on traits expected to be maladaptive, like secondary psychopathy and narcissistic antagonism. The results were largely in line with the researchers’ hypotheses, though with some unexpected twists.
In the adaptive network, Machiavellian agency stood out as a highly influential node. It was positively linked to coping flexibility and negatively linked to depression. That is, individuals who scored high in Machiavellian agency were more likely to engage in flexible coping strategies and reported fewer depressive symptoms. Machiavellian agency was also closely linked with narcissistic extraversion, which includes traits like assertiveness and confidence. Interestingly, narcissistic extraversion itself was not directly linked to reduced depression, but it appeared to influence depression indirectly by supporting Machiavellian agency.
This finding complicates the common view that traits associated with manipulation and self-interest are always harmful. In this context, Machiavellian agency appears to promote resilience by enabling people to assess situations strategically and adjust their behavior effectively. It was not coping flexibility per se that served as the primary bridge between personality traits and depression. Instead, Machiavellian agency functioned as a central connector between personality and mental health outcomes.
“One key finding was the role of Machiavellian agency—a trait linked to strategic thinking and goal-setting—in reducing depression levels,” McIlvenna told PsyPost. “Typically, research highlights narcissistic extraversion (or grandiose narcissism) as the main personality factor connected to lower depression. However, our study suggests that Machiavellian agency may act as a bridge, helping individuals leverage extraversion to cope in ways that reduce depressive symptoms. This adds a new perspective to how we understand the interaction between personality traits and mental health.”
The maladaptive network told a different story. Here, traits such as narcissistic antagonism and secondary psychopathy were linked to higher levels of depression and stress. Narcissistic antagonism—marked by entitlement, lack of empathy, and arrogance—was the most influential node in the maladaptive network. Secondary psychopathy, associated with impulsivity and emotional instability, was also strongly tied to higher levels of psychological distress. These findings reinforce previous research linking antagonistic and emotionally volatile traits to mental health struggles.
However, one notable aspect of the findings was that coping flexibility showed only weak direct associations with psychological symptoms in the maladaptive network. While there was a small negative connection between depression and one coping strategy—re-coping—it was not as robust as the researchers had expected. This suggests that dark triad traits may exert a stronger influence on mental health than coping strategies do, at least in cross-sectional data. Alternatively, personality traits might shape how effectively coping flexibility operates, rather than being fully separate predictors.
The study also explored whether men and women differed in how these traits and coping patterns related to mental health. No significant gender differences were found in the structure of the networks, though some trait-symptom associations varied slightly by gender.
“There’s more to dark personality traits than stereotypes suggest,” McIlvenna said. “Our research looks at these traits in everyday people—not the extreme personalities often portrayed in media. We’re not labeling anyone as a narcissist or a Machiavellian but rather exploring how different aspects of personality interact. Some traits can be helpful in certain situations, while others may be more difficult to manage. By understanding which dimensions are adaptive or maladaptive, we can better appreciate how personality affects mental health and coping strategies.”
As with any research relying on self-report data, the study has limitations. People may underreport socially undesirable traits or inaccurately assess their own coping ability. The cross-sectional design also prevents conclusions about cause and effect. It’s not clear whether certain traits lead to more flexible coping, or whether people who experience less psychological distress develop different personality tendencies over time.
Future research could build on these findings by following people over time to track how changes in personality or coping relate to changes in mental health. It may also be helpful to explore these dynamics in clinical populations or under specific stress conditions. More broadly, the study invites a rethinking of how we categorize and judge personality traits. Traits that seem dark or undesirable in one context might serve useful functions in another.
“Our lab is continuing to explore personality traits through various projects,” McIlvenna explained. “We’re particularly interested in refining ways to measure personality that reduce bias and account for different contexts that might affect how people describe themselves. By improving our approach, we hope to gain an even clearer picture of how personality shapes mental health and coping strategies.”
The study, “More than just aversive: The bridge between the dark triad and depression and coping flexibility, the role of Machiavellianism,” was authored by Micheala McIlvenna, Emanuele Fino, and Kostas A. Papageorgiou.
