by Andrea Fontana, Lucia Sideli, Beatrice Cianfanelli, Antonella Somma, Andrea Fossati

Objective: This study aims to explore the interplay between pathological narcissism, reflective functioning (RF), and peer exclusion (vs. inclusion) among adolescents. The study hypothesizes that peer exclusion (vs. inclusion) is associated with greater post-task difficulties in reflective functioning and higher rejection-related emotions, and tests whether these associations vary as a function of pathological narcissism.
Method: A sample of 204 adolescents (aged 14-18) participated in an experimental task simulating social media interactions using the Social Media Ostracism Paradigm (SMOP). Participants were assigned to one of three experimental conditions: Over-Inclusion (OI), Neutral (N), and Over-Exclusion (OE). Pathological narcissism was assessed using the Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI), and reflective functioning and rejection-related emotions were evaluated post-task.
Results: High-risk narcissistic adolescents exhibited significantly lower RF scores than their low-risk peers (F(1, 198) = 13.72, p < .001), particularly in the OE condition (F(2, 198) = 6.76, p < .001). Low-risk adolescents in the OI condition demonstrated better RF. Social exclusion significantly impacted rejection-related emotions (F(2, 198) = 13.890, p < .001), with OE participants reporting higher distress than N and OI groups. However, narcissism did not significantly moderate emotional responses.
Conclusions: Pathological narcissism was associated with greater RF difficulties, which were most evident under exclusion. However, rejection distress appears to be a broadly shared response in adolescence and may function as a normative signal of threatened belongingness, relatively independent of narcissism levels. These results emphasize the importance of targeted interventions focusing on mentalization and peer dynamics, particularly for adolescents with high-risk narcissism traits.

Key words: pathological narcissism, reflective functioning, peer rejection, adolescence, social inclusion