Investigating the Mediating Role of Fantasy in the Relationship Between Creativity and Kernberg’s Personality Organization in Students with Narcissistic Tendencies
Keywords:
Kernberg personality organization, narcissism, fantasyAbstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to present a predictive model of creativity in students with narcissistic tendencies based on Kernberg's personality organization and the mediating role of fantasy.
Methods and Materials: This research employed a descriptive-correlational design using structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population included all students enrolled at Islamic Azad University, Qom Branch, during the 2022–2023 academic year, totaling 8,164 individuals. The sampling method was convenience sampling. The final sample consisted of 375 participants, with an estimated 360 accounting for potential attrition. Research instruments included the Torrance Creativity Questionnaire (1979), the Narcissistic Personality Inventory by Ames et al. (2006), the Personality Organization Inventory by Kernberg (2002), and the Fantasy Scale by Liang et al. (2013). Data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS version 24.
Findings: The results indicated that the structural model of creativity in students with narcissistic tendencies, based on Kernberg’s personality organization and mediated by fantasy, had a good model fit. Additionally, the findings confirmed the significance of the mediating variable (fantasy) at a 95% confidence level.
Conclusion: The findings of the present study revealed that fantasy plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between creativity and Kernberg’s personality organization in students with narcissistic tendencies. Therefore, the results emphasize the importance of designing psychological interventions focused on fostering creativity and constructively managing fantasy in students with narcissistic inclinations, to promote mental health, personality integration, and improved interpersonal relationships.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Fahimeh Saraei (Author); Hassan Mirzahosseini; Gholamreza Sharifirad (Author)
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