What’s Behind the Rise in Narcissism in Teens?

Reducing social media, promoting family values, and encouraging kids to do good without expecting praise can all help, experts said.

Forty-two state attorneys general are calling on Congress to enact Surgeon General warnings on social media platforms, citing the platforms' role in the youth mental health crisis. Leon Neal/Getty Images

Thanks to social media use, school grade inflation, and environmental factors, narcissistic behavior appears to be on the rise in children and teenagers, some psychotherapists and experts say.

Its prevalence in students under the age of 18 has increased by about 10 percent in the past 12 years and should be on the radar of school psychologists in the coming school year, according to David Liebert, a practicing psychotherapist based in Tampa, Florida.