From narcissistic exploitativeness to bullying behavior: The mediating role of approval-of-aggression beliefs

This study examined the role of approval-of-aggression beliefs in the relationship between narcissistic exploitativeness and bullying behavior in an Asian sample (N = 809) comprising elementary children and middle school adolescents. Narcissistic exploitativeness was significantly and positively associated with both bullying behavior and approval-of-aggression beliefs, and approval-of-aggression beliefs was significantly and positively associated with bullying behavior. Additionally, findings indicated that approval-of-aggression beliefs was a statistically significant mediator and 53 percent of the total effect of narcissistic exploitativeness on bullying behavior was mediated by approval-of-aggression beliefs. Approval-of-aggression beliefs did not moderate the association between narcissistic exploitativeness and bullying behavior. There are important theoretical implications as well as implications for prevention and intervention efforts targeting aggressive, bullying behavior among children and adolescents.