The scales that measured narcissism in the participants focused on the following variables related to narcissistic personality disorder: authority, exhibitionism, superiority, exploitativeness, vanity, self-sufficiency, and entitlement. The studies found that various narcissism features were differentially related to measures of adjustment and psychiatric symptoms. Both studies show that a moderate degree of narcissism is associated with positive mental health, such that narcissistic tendencies in late adolescence are not always a sign of immaturity, but rather can bolster self-esteem and foster a satisfaction with oneself. This level and type of narcissism is labeled "adaptive narcissism." The studies, however, found two types of narcissism that can produce maladjustment in late adolescence. "Covert" narcissism can lead to conformist behaviors, a desire to be recognized and admired by others, and a fear of being separated from them. This separation anxiety shows a relatively poorer profile of adjustment. "Overt" narcissists, who manifest more obvious attempts than "covert" narcissists to become the center of attention in groups and social interactions, tend to have high anxiety about succeeding in having their perceptions of self confirmed by others. A two-step cluster analytic strategy was used in the two studies to identify a typology of narcissism in late adolescence. In Study 1, 204 late adolescents (mean age 20.5 years) responded to the profile of narcissistic dispositions and measures of grandiosity and idealization ("goal instability"), along with several College Adjustment Scales and a measure of pathology ("separation-individuation"). The general pattern found in Study 1 was evident in Study 2 (n=210). 5 tables and 39 references