Narcissism Test: See Your Everyday Narcissistic Personality Traits
This free narcissist test explores everyday narcissistic traits using questions adapted from the NPI-16. Get instant free results for self-reflection; this screening cannot diagnose a personality disorder.
Reviewed by Michael Callans, MSW 
Narcissism Test is a free, confidential 16-question self-assessment, informed by the validated NPI-16. It takes about 9 minutes, runs entirely in your browser, and gives you a plain-language score across 3 interpretation bands plus an optional in-depth report. It is an educational screening, not a diagnosis.
Narcissism is a normal trait, not just a disorder
Narcissism is a personality trait everyone has to some degree. Researchers measure it in healthy populations all the time. This screening looks at where your everyday narcissistic traits sit, with a clear line drawn between a common trait and the clinical diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder.
Everyday narcissistic traits
The questions are adapted from the NPI-16, a short research measure within the Narcissistic Personality Inventory family. They ask about attention, perceived specialness, authority, self-regard, and entitlement. This page changes the original response format, so the source instrument's validation does not automatically apply.
A spectrum, not a switch
Trait narcissism runs along a continuum. Most people land somewhere in the middle, and a moderate amount is linked to confidence and drive. There is no point on this scale where you become a narcissist.
Trait vs diagnosis
Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a clinical diagnosis with strict criteria that only a professional can assess. A high trait score is not NPD, and this test cannot and does not diagnose it.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Based on a validated scale (NPI-16) | Sometimes | Yes, faithful to the items |
| Frames narcissism as a normal trait | Rarely | Yes, continuum explained |
| Distinguishes trait from NPD diagnosis | No | Yes, clearly |
| Non-labeling language | Often labels you | Yes, screening not diagnosis |
| Clinician-reviewed interpretation | Rarely | Yes, clinician reviewed |
| Optional in-depth personalized report | No | Yes, written to your exact scores |
| Confidential (no data sent) | Often tracked | Runs in your browser |
How scoring works
Answers are scored 0–16 in total. Your result falls into one of 3 bands:
| Score | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | Lower narcissistic traits | You endorsed relatively few of the narcissistic-trait statements. On this measure your everyday narcissism sits toward the lower end. |
| 5–10 | Around average | You endorsed a moderate number of the narcissistic-trait statements, placing you around the middle of the range where most people fall. |
| 11–16 | Elevated narcissistic traits | You endorsed many of the narcissistic-trait statements, placing your everyday narcissism toward the higher end of this measure. |
What the five NPI-16 categories mean
This narcissist test groups your answers under descriptive headings: authority, self-regard, specialness, exhibitionism, and entitlement. Authority items ask about liking power and leadership over others. Self-regard items ask about confidence in your own competence and judgment. Specialness items ask whether you see yourself as exceptional or destined for greatness.
Exhibitionism items ask about wanting to be watched, admired, or the center of attention. Entitlement items ask about expecting special treatment and being able to influence or manipulate people to get it. No single facet defines narcissism on its own. Most people score unevenly across the five, and a high score on one facet with low scores on the others often points to a specific, workable pattern rather than a broad personality concern.
These categories help organize reflection on individual answers. The NPI-16 was developed to measure an overall trait, and the category labels used here are not independently validated subscales. Look at the situations behind your answers before drawing conclusions from a category score.
The Narcissistic Personality Inventory was designed to study a broad personality trait. A category on this page is a prompt to examine a tendency, not a separate clinical finding. For example, enjoying attention and expecting special treatment raise different questions about behavior even when both contribute to the overall result. Describe what happens in actual interactions before deciding which concern needs attention.
Grandiose narcissism vs covert narcissism
The NPI-16 measures grandiose narcissism: confidence, a wish for admiration, and comfort with attention. It was not built to capture covert narcissism, a quieter pattern marked by hypersensitivity to criticism, a fragile sense of self hidden behind insecurity, and passive ways of seeking validation. Someone can score low here and still recognize covert traits in themselves.
If grandiosity does not sound like you but chronic insecurity, envy, and a need for reassurance do, the Covert Narcissist Test looks at that pattern specifically. For a broader look at manipulative and callous traits alongside narcissism, the Dark Triad Test adds Machiavellianism and psychopathy into the picture.
What to do with your result
Use your result to identify situations you want to understand, whatever the total. A low score does not settle concerns about repeated conflict or distress, and an elevated score does not establish a diagnosis. If you choose to ask a trusted person for feedback, request a specific example of how your behavior affected them and take time to consider it.
If you are trying to make sense of someone else's narcissistic traits rather than your own, the Narcissistic Partner Test looks at that dynamic from the other side, and setting clear limits matters regardless of anyone's score. For either direction, a therapist can help you build the self-awareness or the boundaries the situation calls for. The Psychology.com therapist directory lists clinicians who work with personality and relationship patterns.
For example, after a disagreement, write down what you wanted, what the other person said they needed, and how you responded. The Validation Practice tool can help you rehearse acknowledging another person's feelings while still expressing your own perspective. You might practice summarizing their concern before explaining your intention.
The Psychology.com tests hub includes the related self-assessments mentioned here. Choose a test only when its focus matches a question you want to explore. If you searched for an am I a narcissist quiz after an accusation or argument, bring the concrete interaction to a clinician instead of treating any online score as proof about your character.
An "am I a narcissist quiz" cannot settle an accusation after an argument. Try asking a more concrete question: did I dismiss a boundary, demand reassurance, or ignore the effect of my behavior? You can acknowledge harm and work on a response without waiting for a label. Likewise, someone else's quiz result cannot establish that a relationship is safe or that your concerns are unfounded.
Methodology & sources
The sixteen questions are based on the NPI-16, the validated short form of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory developed by Ames, Rose, and Anderson. The original NPI-16 uses forced-choice pairs; for readability in a single-tap format, each narcissistic statement is presented on its own and you indicate whether it describes you, an adaptation whose measurement properties have not been established. Scores range from 0 to 16. The NPI measures narcissism as a normal personality trait across the general population, so there is no clinical cutoff. Bands here group your endorsements for reflection only; they do not establish where you rank in the general population.
This test is provided for education and self-reflection. It is important to be clear that the NPI is not a diagnostic instrument. It was built to study narcissism as an ordinary dimension of personality, not to detect narcissistic personality disorder. NPD is a clinical diagnosis defined by significant, persistent distress or impairment, and only a qualified professional can make it. A high score here means you endorsed more narcissistic-trait statements, nothing more. We deliberately avoid labeling language.
The original research supports the forced-choice NPI-16. Changing its response format requires separate validation before its reliability, norms, or accuracy can be assumed to apply here. The educational bands and descriptive categories on this page should not be treated as validated population comparisons. Uncertain or skipped responses can also make a total less informative about the traits you recognize.
In the original NPI-16 validation paper, Ames, Rose, and Anderson reported an internal consistency coefficient of 0.72 in a sample of 776 undergraduate students. This statistic describes how the original items related to one another in that sample; it is not a percentage accuracy rate or evidence that the inventory detects a disorder. The finding applies to the original forced-choice administration, not to the changed response format on this page.
References
- Ames DR, Rose P, Anderson CP. The NPI-16 as a short measure of narcissism. J Res Pers. 2006;40(4):440-450. columbia.edu/~da358/publications/npi16_jrp.pdf
- Raskin R, Terry H. A principal-components analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and further evidence of its construct validity. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1988;54(5):890-902. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3379585/
- American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2022.
- Miller JD, Lynam DR, Hyatt CS, Campbell WK. Controversies in narcissism. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2017;13:291-315.
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, September 16). Narcissism Test. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tests/narcissism
Narcissism Test FAQ
What is a narcissism test?
A narcissism test is a self-assessment of traits such as seeking admiration, feeling special, or expecting special treatment. This free narcissist test is adapted from the NPI-16 and summarizes the statements you recognize in yourself. Its result supports reflection on behavior and relationships; it does not provide a diagnosis or a validated ranking against other people.
Does a high score mean I'm a narcissist?
No. Narcissism is a trait everyone has in some amount, and a higher score simply means you endorsed more narcissistic-trait statements. It says nothing about whether you have narcissistic personality disorder, which is a clinical condition only a professional can diagnose. Calling someone a narcissist based on a score would be inaccurate and unkind.
What is the difference between narcissism and NPD?
Narcissism is a normal personality trait measured on a continuum. Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a diagnosis that requires a persistent, pervasive pattern causing real distress or impairment, assessed by a clinician. Many people with high trait narcissism do not have NPD, and a brief test cannot detect it either way. For other trait-focused self-checks, the sociopath test explores antisocial patterns and the psychopathy test explores callousness and impulsivity; neither can diagnose a personality disorder.
Is some narcissism healthy?
A moderate amount of narcissistic trait is linked to confidence, assertiveness, and leadership, and most people sit somewhere in the middle of the scale. Traits become a problem mainly when they consistently harm your relationships or wellbeing, which is a matter for a professional, not a quiz.
Is this test really confidential?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser. Your individual answers are scored in your browser and are never sent to us or linked to you. They stay in this tab so you can return to your result, and closing or clearing the tab clears them. If you ask us to email the PDF, we receive your summary scores with your email address, never your individual answers. No account is needed.
Is this narcissist test free?
Yes. This is a free narcissist test with free results shown when you finish. You can see the screening result without payment or an email address; a personalized report is optional. The questions are adapted from the NPI-16 to support reflection on everyday narcissistic traits. The free result cannot determine whether you have narcissistic personality disorder.
Is there a test for NPD?
If you are looking for a test for narcissistic personality disorder, this self-assessment cannot establish that diagnosis. NPD is a clinical diagnosis that requires a structured assessment by a qualified professional, who looks for a persistent pattern causing real distress or impairment. Online tests, including this one, measure narcissistic traits on a normal continuum, which is useful for reflection but says nothing about NPD either way. If you are worried about NPD in yourself, a clinician is the only reliable route to an answer.
How accurate is this narcissism test?
The original NPI-16 has research support as a brief measure of narcissistic traits. This page adapts its forced-choice pairs into individual statements with different response options, so the original validation cannot establish this version's accuracy. Your score summarizes your responses for reflection. A clinician can help you examine patterns across relationships and situations when you need an assessment of persistent difficulties.
What is the Narcissistic Personality Inventory?
The Narcissistic Personality Inventory is a research measure of narcissistic traits. Raskin and Terry studied the widely used 40-item version in 1988; Ames, Rose, and Anderson developed the shorter NPI-16 in 2006. This page adapts the short version's response format. Neither the original research inventory nor this adaptation is a diagnostic test for narcissistic personality disorder.
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