Depressed or satisfied? The relationship between the dark triad traits, depression, and life satisfaction

Abstract

The relationship between the Dark Triad and depressive symptoms is controversial. While some studies have reported negative correlations, then suggesting a protective effect of the Dark Triad traits against depression, evidence sometimes indicates the opposite, that is, that dark traits co-occur with depression. An additional issue is that these associations could be moderated by sex, a hypothesis yet to be tested. In the current study, we intended to investigate the relationship between the Dark Triad traits and the variables depression and life satisfaction, besides testing the role of sex as a potential moderator in these relationships. Participants were 488 undergraduate students, with ages from 18 to 72 years (M = 29.51; SD = 10.55; 75.6% females), who responded to the Short Dark Triad, the Baptista’s Depression Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Results from the Structural Equation Modeling indicated that each Dark Triad trait manifested a unique pattern of relationships to depression and life satisfaction. Nevertheless, we found no evidence of moderation by sex in the relationship that the dark traits have with depression and life satisfaction. Findings from the present study reveal a complex relationship of pathological traits with mental health/disorder variables, with comparable patterns occurring for both sexes.