Relationship Between Aggression, Narcissism, Empathy, Neglect and Violence Among Adolescence

Abstract

The current study examined empathy as a mediating variable while analyzing the roles that aggression, narcissism, neglect, and exposure to violence play in teenagers' violent behavior. The sample comprised 200 adolescents age range between 15-25 years. Descriptive analyses showed moderate to high mean levels of aggression (M = 78.45, SD = 15.62), narcissism (M = 61.30, SD = 13.48), neglect (M = 54.88, SD = 12.97), and exposure to violence (M = 57.21, SD = 14.35), whereas empathy levels were comparatively lower (M = 69.72, SD = 14.10). Pearson correlation analysis showed that aggression was strongly positively correlated with violence (r = .58, p < .01), while empathy demonstrated significant negative associations with aggression (r = −.41, p < .01), neglect (r = −.36, p < .01), and violence (r = −.49, p < .01). Multiple regression analysis indicated that aggression emerged as the strongest predictor of violence (β = .45, p < .001), followed by neglect (β = .32, p < .001) and empathy (β = −.33, p < .001). Narcissism (β = .29, p < .001) and exposure to violence (β = .27, p < .001) also significantly predicted violent behaviour. Mediation analysis further showed that empathy partially mediated the relationship between neglect and violence. Neglect significantly predicted empathy (β = −.41, p < .001), empathy significantly predicted violence (β = −.36, p < .001), and the indirect impact was statistically significant (a × b = .15, 95% CI [.08, .24]).

Keywords: Aggression, Narcissism, Empathy, Neglect, Exposure To Violence, Adolescent Violence