What this test measures
Sometimes a relationship leaves you feeling small, used or unheard, and you start to wonder whether the other person's behaviour has a name. This test helps you look at what you have actually seen. You think of one person, a partner, parent, boss, friend or colleague, and rate 27 behaviours by how often you have observed them, from never to very often.
The behaviours cover nine areas of narcissistic personality, grouped into three clusters: grandiosity (an inflated sense of importance, talent or destiny, and looking down on others), need for admiration (fishing for praise, needing attention, envy) and lack of empathy and exploitation (expecting special treatment, using people, not caring how others feel). Your result is an observation score from 0 to 108 and the balance between the three clusters.
How it is built
There is no standard questionnaire for rating narcissistic traits in someone else, so this test is built on the nine trait areas of narcissistic personality described in the DSM-5, the diagnostic manual clinicians use. For each area we wrote three behaviours that an outsider can actually see, in our own words, and you rate how often each one happens.
We do not apply the manual's diagnostic rule, and nothing in the result says a criterion is "met". The bands (few traits below 27, some from 27, many from 45, a pervasive pattern from 63) are conventions of this site that turn the total into something readable; they are not a clinical threshold.
What your result contains
Your free result shows the band with a short summary and the three clusters as bars. The full report adds your exact observation score out of 108 and where it sits against the bands, the score for each cluster, what this kind of pattern tends to mean for the people around the person, practical steps and boundaries that fit what you see, and a PDF to keep or to take to a counsellor. The test is free; the full report is one payment, no subscription.
What it is and is not
This test describes patterns you observe. It cannot diagnose anyone, and it should not be used as a label to throw at someone in an argument. Narcissistic personality disorder can only be assessed by a qualified clinician who meets the person, and many people show some of these behaviours under stress without having any disorder. Your ratings are also your view: they are coloured by how the relationship feels, which is worth keeping in mind.
What the result can do is help you trust what you see and think about your own wellbeing. Controlling, belittling or frightening behaviour is not acceptable whatever label fits the person. If you feel unsafe, free and confidential help is available: find a helpline in your country, the National Domestic Violence Hotline in the US (1-800-799-7233), the National Domestic Abuse Helpline in the UK (0808 2000 247) and Veilig Thuis in the Netherlands (0800-2000). If you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number.
Curious about your own self-focus instead? The Narcissism Test asks about you.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about the Narcissist Recognition Test.
How long does the Narcissist Recognition Test take?
About five minutes. There are 27 statements, each rated on a five-point scale from never to very often.
What does the Narcissist Recognition Test measure?
How often you observe narcissistic behaviours in one particular person, across nine areas grouped into grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy and exploitation. Your band and a short summary are free; your exact score, the three cluster scores and the full report are one payment, no subscription.
Is this based on the DSM-5?
It follows the structure of the nine trait areas the DSM-5 describes for narcissistic personality, with three observable behaviours per area worded by us. It does not apply the manual's diagnostic rule and it is not a clinical instrument.
Can this test tell me if someone is a narcissist?
No. It describes the patterns you observe. Only a qualified clinician who meets the person can assess a personality disorder. What the test can do is help you see the pattern clearly and decide what you need.
What if I am not sure how often something happens?
Answer for what you have actually seen, not for what you suspect or have heard from others. If you are unsure, choose the lower of the two options you are weighing.
Is my data private, and can I retake it?
Your answers are scored in your browser and the person you are thinking of is never named anywhere. You can retake the test as often as you like, for example for a different person or after some time has passed.