[RESEARCH] Master's in Sociology – Study on NPD/ASPD: Political Participation, Power and Gender Dynamics | Open to diagnosed individuals 18+
We are researchers from a Master's degree course in Sociology at an Italian University, conducting a qualitative study on Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) that aims to shed light on these conditions from the inside out, moving beyond social and clinical stereotypes and giving voice to the lived experience of those who carry these diagnoses.
One of the researchers involved in this project is themselves diagnosed with NPD with prominent ASPD traits, and has been an active member of these communities for some time; in addition, we’ve already started a qualitative in-depth analysis of the posts already published to further familiarize with such conditions.
Inclusion criteria: To participate, we ask that you (a) have a formal or self-identified diagnosis of NPD, ASPD, or significant traits of either as indicated by an accredited medical professional, and (b) are 18 years of age or older.
This first post contains 6 open questions, that refer to 3 domains of interest. A structured questionnaire will follow in the coming days, and if you’d like to give your availability for that too we’ll respond to your comment with the link once it’s posted. Please answer as sincerely as you can, we’re not looking for edgelords. Responses can be as long or as brief as you like – there are no right or wrong answers, and all perspectives are valid data for us (including incomplete or partial responses, so feel free to pick and choose which questions pique your interest).
Anonymity is guaranteed. By responding you consent to your answer being used for academic research purposes.
Q1. Power in interpersonal relationships: (a) How do you navigate power dynamics in your daily life, particularly in romantic and sexual relationships? (b) Do you generally attend to factors like sexual consent and your partner's wellbeing, or have you ever positioned yourself in an antagonistic or abusive role toward a partner?
Q2. Political orientation: (c) Where do you stand on most social and political issues (e.g. environmentalism, antispeciesism, feminism)? (d) Do you identify with a specific political current or ideology? If so, which one – and please try to locate yourself on the left-right spectrum of the political compass rather than giving a broad label (i.e. refrain from saying general orientations like “Anarchism” and try, instead, to decline whether you identify with Anarcho-Communism, Anarcho-Capitalism or any else).
Q3. Relationship between diagnosis and politics: (e) Do you feel a genuine ideological or moral identification with a set of values, and do you experience a sense of belonging to any group – political, subcultural, ideological, or otherwise? Is solidarity something that feels available to you, or is your political interest mainly instrumental (i.e. primarily concerned with the social causes that directly affect you)? (f) Do you ground your sense of self-worth or grandiosity more in ethical/intellectual justice, or in financial success, status, and other markers more typically associated with right-wing value systems?
Thanks in advance to anyone who engages. Every response, however brief, is genuinely useful. We’ll be back with the structured questionnaire shortly.
