From the Guidelines
To reduce Dark Triad (DT) personality traits, including narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy, therapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), with a qualified mental health professional is recommended, as it can address underlying issues contributing to these traits and has been shown to reduce self-directed violence and suicidal ideation in related populations 1.
Key Components of Therapy
- CBT teaches patients to identify and change problematic thinking and behavioral patterns, which can affect their emotional experience and reduce harmful behaviors.
- DBT combines elements of CBT, skills training, and mindfulness techniques to help patients develop skills in emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance.
Additional Strategies
- Developing empathy and emotional awareness through regular mindfulness meditation and compassion-focused practices can also be beneficial.
- Self-reflection exercises, such as journaling about behaviors and their impact on others, can help increase self-awareness.
- Building healthy relationships with clear boundaries and practicing gratitude daily can counteract manipulative tendencies.
Implementation
- Therapy sessions typically last 50 minutes weekly for at least 3-6 months.
- Mindfulness and self-reflection exercises can be started with daily 10-15 minute sessions, gradually increasing to 20-30 minutes.
- It is essential to work with a qualified mental health professional to develop a personalized treatment plan.
Rationale
- While Dark Triad traits have some genetic components, environmental factors and learned behaviors can be modified through consistent practice of these techniques, leading to healthier interpersonal functioning and reduced harmful behaviors.
- The use of CBT and DBT has been supported by systematic reviews and randomized trials, showing their effectiveness in reducing self-directed violence and suicidal ideation in related populations 1.
From the Research
Reducing Dark Triad Personality Traits
To reduce Dark Triad (DT) personality traits, including narcissism, machiavellianism, and psychopathy, several strategies can be employed:
- Targeting agreeableness through personality interventions, as found in the study 2, can lead to a reduction in DT traits.
- Addressing relatedness need dissatisfaction, as identified in the study 3, can also contribute to a decrease in DT traits, particularly when depression levels are lower.
- Fostering subjective and psychological well-being, as explored in the study 4, may help mitigate the negative effects of DT traits, although the relationships between well-being and DT traits are complex and multifaceted.
- Adopting a variable-centered approach to studying DT traits, as suggested in the study 5, can provide a better understanding of individual differences in DT traits and inform strategies for reduction.
- Identifying and addressing triggers of DT states at work, as proposed in the study 6, can help organizations develop effective interventions to prevent the detrimental effects of dark personality at work.
Key Factors
Some key factors to consider when attempting to reduce DT traits include:
- The role of prevention focus, as found in the study 3, in mediating the relationship between relatedness need dissatisfaction and DT traits.
- The potential for interventions targeting agreeableness to spur changes in DT traits, as found in the study 2.
- The complex relationships between DT traits and well-being, as explored in the study 4, and the need for multidimensional measures of DT traits.
- The importance of considering individual differences in DT traits, as suggested in the study 5, and the value of a variable-centered approach in understanding these differences.
- The need for organizations to develop effective interventions to buffer or prevent the detrimental effects of dark personality at work, as proposed in the study 6.