The aetiology of non-clinical narcissism: Clarifying the role of adverse childhood experiences and parental overvaluation

Publication date: 1 February 2020Source: Personality and Individual Differences, Volume 154Author(s): Kim Thy Nguyen, Lauren ShawAbstractThis research investigated the unique contribution of adverse childhood experiences (psychoanalytic theory) and parental overvaluation (social learning theory) in the development of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism in adults (N = 263). Multiple linear regressions revealed that, as expected, adverse childhood experiences, but not parental overvaluation, predicted vulnerable narcissism while parental overvaluation, but not adverse childhood experiences, predicted grandiose narcissism. Albeit, predictive effects were small in all analyses. Further analyses revealed that 1) adverse childhood experiences significantly predicted vulnerable narcissism over and above the effects of past mental health disorders; and, 2) correlation patterns of the Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire subscales were positively associated with vulnerable narcissism, but negatively associated with grandiose narcissism. Combined, these findings strengthen the two-type model of narcissism and have implications for both research and society at macro and individual levels.
Source: Personality and Individual Differences - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research