Narcissistic Personality Disorder

What is a narcissistic personality?

Greek myth of Narcissus (fell in love with own image and stared until he died), introduced into psychological literature by early psychoanalytic theorists and extended in the 1960s to object relations theory. It was added as a formal diagnosis in the DSM-III. It has since received wide ranging interest across several scientific disciplines from clinical/psychiatric researchers to social, personality, and organization psychology. It is still in cluster B: dramatic and emotional PDs. Problematic self-love to the point where it’s creating issues in your life. There has been a lot of research in the past 40 years.

Is narcissism easily described?

no, definitions are quite diverse and there are many different definitions, not wholly agreed upon on how to define it or assess it.

How can clinicians find a narcissist?

they need to be conscious of how they feel when interacting with their client. They inflict narcissistic wounds in others -\> anger, defensiveness, hurt ego. However, reports of prevalence vary widely. Epidemiological studies say it is much lower than what clinicians say. There are different theories that outline how we conceive narcissism.

What is healthy narcissism?

There is a consensus that there is both healthy and maladaptive narcissism. It is conceptualized as one’s capacity to maintain positive self-image and it underlies affirmation, as well as the motivation to seek out self-enhancement. It is not inherently problematic. It has an adaptive form, as positive self-image can lead to positive outcomes. We have a positive sense of self and want to affirm that through interactions with our environment. Narcissism kicks in especially when we receive blows to the ego via negative life events. Thinking “im good/smart/worthy” helps us balance our affective system when we’re dealing with difficult situations. It also gives confidence to go out and try new things - self-effectivity and self-enhancement.

What requires narcissism?

It contributes to well-being by increasing personal agency. Asserting interpersonal dominance and fuels approach and achievement motives. High scores on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) are negatively associated with neuroticism and depression, while positively correlated with achievement motivation and self-esteem. Groups need leaders, which requires narcissism. It allows someone to go up in competition against someone else.

What are adaptive subtypes of narcissism?

analyzing measures of narcissistic emotions, attitudes, and behaviors consistently highlights an adaptive subtype of narcissistic personality

What is the autonomy subtype?

correlates with self-ratings and partner-ratings of creativity, empathy, achievement orientation, and individualism. Prototype generally associated with positive trajectories in longitudinal studies.

What is high-functioning/exhibitionistic?

exaggerated sense of self-importance, outgoing, articulate, and energetic, show “good adaptive functioning and use their narcissism as a motivation to succeed”

What are the two main dimensions of pathological narcissism?

Grandiose narcissism and vulnerable narcissism

What is grandiose narcissism?

The broad construct of narcissism is most often associated with arrogant, conceited, and domineering attitudes and behaviors. Also, internal manifestations - repressing negative aspects of self, distorting disconfirming external information, which can lead to entitled attitudes and an inflated self-image without requisite accomplishments and skills. Engaging in regulatory fantasies of unlimited power, superiority, perfection, and adulation

Grandiose/malignant is characterized by?

Seething anger, manipulativeness, the pursuit of interpersonal power and control, lack of remorse, exaggerated self-importance, feelings of privilege, and externalized negative life events have little insight into their behavior

What is vulnerable narcissism?

DSM-V criteria for NPD are most closely aligned with grandiose narcissism. It is also called the fragile/hypersensitive subtype. It is characterized by an inability to consistently maintain a grandiose sense of self, prone to narcissistic injury, and emotional states characterized by shame, anxiety, depression, and feelings of inadequacy

What is the difference between grandiose and vulnerable?

Grandiose self-states oscillate or co-occur with vulnerable self-states and affective dysregulation. Grandiosity can’t be maintained: He or she is more and more vulnerable to shame, panic, helplessness, or depression as life progresses without support from admiring others. Vulnerable and grandiose states associate with different behaviors - treatment utilization

Why is “to what extent do you agree with this statement: I am a narcissist” a catch-all?

it is subject to interpretation, so all types of narcissism will respond affirmatively. It is broad enough that different types of narcissism will respond affirmatively.

What are the genetic factors of narcissism?

Heritability estimates range widely from .37 to .77. Estimates depend on the specific traits under investigation. For example, grandiosity/entitlement is .22/.35, while communal narcissism is .42. Different variations of narcissism differ substantially in their genetic and environmental determinants

What is the developmental and learning history?

Overvaluation by parents not balances with realistic feedback. For example, the child fails to develop adaptive means to handle narcissistic injuries. Lack of valuation and idealisation by parents, so the individual fails to perceive they have value and can obtain love for their own sake.