Task 5 - Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Question 1

Narcissistic PD Characteristics

Answer 1

• act in dramatic, grandiose manner,
• seek admiration
• shallow in emotional expressions and relationships with others
• rely on self-evaluations
• view themselves as superior
• make unreasonable demands on others in interpersonal relationships
• mostly diagnosed in men
• lifetime prevalence 1%

Question 2

Cognitive Theories of Narcissistic PD

Answer 2

• unrealistic assumptions about themselves as result of indulgence and overvaluation by s.o. in childhood
• may have developed self-view as defense against rejection

Question 3

Treatment of Narcissistic PD

Answer 3

-tend to not seek treatment
Cognitive techniques: developing more realistic expectations of own abilities and more sensitivity to needs of other
-> Self-Challenging
-often do not remain in therapy once acute symptoms or interpersonal problems lessen

Question 4

NPD diagnostic criteria DSM-5

Answer 4

A. impairment in personality functioning:
1. identity
2. self-direction: goal-setting to gain approval
3. empathy
4. intimacy (superficial)
B. pathological personality traits:
1. Grandiosity
2. Attention-seeking

Question 5

Narcissism: disconnect between Feeling and Relating

Answer 5

• prefrontal grey matter volume related to empathic functining
• are less accurate in recognizing emotional expressions in others
• deficits in emotion processing related to shame, fear, and anger
• > compromised empathic funcitoning in patients: have ability to feel but doesn’t translate into caring responsiveness

Question 6

Narcissism therapy approach

Answer 6

Collaborative approach suggested:

• focus on unique and subjective personality functioning
• alliance building important to be able to tackle more delicate topics later in therapy

Question 7

Narcissists and Relationships

Answer 7

Narcissistic self-love linked to game-playing love style (ludus) mediated by their need for power and autonomy

• less likely committed & perceived enhanced alternatives
• relationships source of power or control not to experience and express commitment

Question 8

Narcissim & Social rejection

Answer 8

Narcissism associated with more internalized negative emotions after social rejection

• aggress more against someone who rejected them
• are more aggressive against innocent third-party after social rejection
• > social rejection as predictor of indirect and direct aggressive behavior in narcissists