The study of human well-being and its determinants is a growing field in psychology, yet the relationship between spiritual well-being (SWB) and malevolent personality traits remains underexplored, particularly in non-Western contexts. This research presents the first investigation of the relationship between spiritual well-being and the Dark Tetrad traits (Machiavellianism, Psychopathy, Narcissism, and Sadism) on a Russian-speaking sample.
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 959 participants (761 women, 198 men; mean age 38.6±14 years). Spiritual well-being was assessed using the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), and the Dark Tetrad traits were measured with the Short Dark Tetrad (SD4) questionnaire. Data analysis involved Spearman's correlation, along with univariate and multivariate linear regression models.
Correlation analysis confirmed significant negative relationships between all Dark Tetrad traits and spiritual well-being. Sadism demonstrated the strongest negative correlation with overall SWB (ρ=-0.38, p<0.001). Multivariate regression revealed more complex, nuanced interactions. Sadism was identified as the most powerful negative predictor of SWB, particularly its religious component. When controlling for the effect of Sadism, Psychopathy switched from a negative to a significant positive predictor of religious well-being (β from -0.44 to +0.38, p<0.001). Narcissism contributed positively to both existential well-being (EWB) (β=0.32, p<0.001) and overall SWB (β=0.26, p=0.009) in multivariate models, suggesting its potential adaptive role in a certain psychological context.
The findings indicate that the relationship between spiritual well-being and dark personality traits is not merely negative but involves intricate interactions. While Sadism is a primary detrimental factor, elements of Psychopathy and Narcissism may, under specific conditions (e.g., low Sadism), associate with or even contribute to certain aspects of spiritual well-being.