Disagreeable narcissism mediates an effect of BAS on addictive behaviors

Some forms of personality dysfunction that are associated with substance use and other externalizing behaviors, such as Narcissistic Personality Disorder, are characterized by low five-factor Agreeableness . Low Agreeableness and high Extraversion are both associated with the Behavioral Approach System in the revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality (RST; McNaughton & Corr, 2008 ). Meta-analyses examining personality predictors of Substance Use Disorders (Kotov et al., 2010 ) and Pathological Gambling (MacLaren et al., 2011 ) have implicated low Agreeableness but not Extraver sion. In the present study, we sampled undergraduate students (N = 346) to examine relationships between two aspec ts of grandiose narcissism measured by the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), approach motiv ation measured by the BIS/BAS scales, and self-reported addictive behaviors. Disagreeable and Extraverted subscales of the NPI were examined for possible mediat ion of associations between BAS and addictive behaviors. The more disagreeable aspec t of narcissism mediated the effect s of BAS on drug use, gambling, sex, and maladaptive intimate relationships. These results suggest that one mechanism through which the Behavioral Approach System may promote addictive behavior among grandiose Narcissists is through its association with their aggressive and antagonistic interpersonal style. 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.