Today, I bring you a paper that we can all thank our fellow Motherfucker for. Alex, thank you for sending this my way.
I don’t even want to give a big introduction. I just want to jump into a paper that has – I shit you not – helped me understand things and make immediate changes so rapidly that I feel like a different person since reading it a few weeks ago. Without any strain or repression necessary. Actually, the exact opposite.
You’ll understand as we go. But, yeah, we’re returning to Narcissism… as a POSITIVE aspect of recovery. Which has made a day and night difference in everything, because it’s made a day and night difference in how I’m thinking about, feeling about, and policing myself.
Now let’s get in there.
The paper:
Narcissistic Personality and Its Relationship with Post-Traumatic Symptoms and Emotional Factors: Results of a Mediational Analysis Aimed at Personalizing Mental Health Treatment.
Montoro, C.I.; de la Coba, P.; Moreno-Padilla, M.; Galvez-Sánchez, C.M.
Behav. Sci. 2022, 12, 91. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs12040091
Abstract:
Narcissism is characterized by entitlement, grandiose fantasies and the need for admiration. This personality trait has been associated with both traumatic experiences and emotional problems. Most studies have only focused on narcissism in the context of childhood trauma and negative emotional factors. However, dimensions of grandiose narcissism such as authority have been linked to adaptive outcomes. Furthermore, narcissism might not be linked only to negative childhood experiences; it may also be associated with the presence of post-traumatic symptoms. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the associations between narcissism and the frequency and severity of post-traumatic symptoms and emotional factors (resilience capacity, emotional regulation, positive and negative affect, intolerance of uncertainty and perceived stress), as well as the possible mediational role of the latter in the relationship between narcissism and post-traumatic symptoms.
Introduction
Narcissism is a personality trait characterized by a grandiose self-concept, as well as
by behaviors intended to maintain this self-concept in the face of reality [1].
(“behaviors intended to maintain this self-concept in the face of reality” is such a fundamental part of describing narcissists. They have this penchant for centering themselves around the “known facts” of who they are, which are not necessarily true, and therefore these false beliefs dictate that they distort everything around them into becoming untruths so their chosen truth can continue to exist.)
Core traits of narcissism include entitlement, grandiose fantasies and the need for admiration [2]. Both “normal” and “pathological” narcissism have been related to the experience of violence,
suggesting that narcissism is an important risk factor for self-inflicted aggression and
psychological abuse [3]. Elevated narcissism often sets up a cascade of interpersonal and mental health challenges [5–8], and has even been associated with criminal behavior [9].
Several theories have emerged to obtain insight into the prevention and treatment of
behavioral problems associated with narcissism. Most recent theories have focused on the
link between narcissism and negative childhood experiences, such as physical or sexual
violence, neglect, or rejection [10,11].
The emergence and development of narcissistic traits, such as seeking excessive admiration from others, feelings of grandiosity and interpersonal competitiveness, have mostly been related to traumatic experiences in childhood [12–14].
However, some studies have also pointed out that narcissistic characteristics may not only
arise from childhood environments characterized by neglect/abuse, but also from environments
in which a child is sheltered or overly praised [11,14,15].
Both of those situations foster an unrealistic image of the child (devaluation and idealization, respectively [16]).
(So in one case, it’s the VOID of feeling important or cared for that creates behavioral programs intended to produce reinforcing circumstances in those areas. A brain learns to SHOW itself that it’s important, by manipulating others and reality.
Let’s mention that this is related to overcompensation. One would think that being beaten down psychologically or physically would make one solely disparate and disconnected from esteem, but instead, it creates a drive to earn the things that they lacked, no matter the cost. This cost can include delusion, manipulation, coercion, abuse, etc. This is where the interpersonal struggles begin.
In the other case, it’s the regular delivery of praise and reinforcement untethered from reality which teaches the individual to constantly expect more of it. Despite having… not really done anything in life yet, besides existing… the thinker learns that it is invariably celebrated.
So, contradictorily, childhood deprivation and overindulgence are each predisposing factors for narcissistic traits.
And then, regardless of cause of onset, the individual’s psyche works very, very hard to maintain those unrealistic images of themselves, others, and the world. And all the interpersonal and intrapersonal trouble unfolds. Now here comes a sentence that really made me think, even though I’m not sure that they meant for it to be as dense as it turned out.)
It has also been proposed that underlying vulnerability to post-traumatic stress may partially stem from a narcissistic personality disorder or narcissistic personality traits [17,18].
Unfortunately, most studies conducted to date have failed to exclusively explore
the negative factors associated with narcissism, which are difficult to deal with once
they become firmly entrenched and expressed in the individual’s behavior (e.g., negative
affect, concerns about humiliation or lack of forgiveness for public transgressions [19]).
(So it’s possible that being a narcissist sets you up for PTSD. Which has some common sense merit. If you think the world of yourself and then the world flips you upside down one day, sure, that would challenge a brain which is so reliant on maintaining that chosen perspective we already spoke about.
BUT I would also flip this sentiment around and say that it seems very possible vulnerability to PTSD may partially encourage the development of narcissistic personality disorder or traits. Right? As we were talking about with the VulNarcs a few weeks ago, a sensitivity to trauma and life in general seems to be a catalyst of developing Narcissist lifestyles and personality traits rather than fully healing.
Which comes first, the trauma, the psychological vulnerability, or the narcissism? We don’t know!)
TYPES OF NARCISSISM
Few studies have analyzed the relationship between narcissism and healthy emotional
factors. Typically, narcissism has been related to difficulties in emotion regulation [20–22],
simultaneous with resilience capacity [23]. However, the reported relations seem to depend
on the type of narcissism [24].
It is important to note that narcissism can be differentiated into grandiose and vulnerable types [25,26]. Individuals with vulnerable narcissism tend to be anxious, defensive and avoidant, while grandiose narcissists are extraverted and self-satisfied, with a high propensity to strive for feelings of uniqueness and supremacy, and to devaluate others [25,26].
(Okay, so we know these things.
In response to threat, which can include “life in general,” Grandiose Narcs go big and high, they show themselves on a public stage and use that persona to enrapture people in their charms. Vulnerable Narcs go small and low, they retreat away from circumstances they can’t change and use recollections of victimhood to elicit care from others.. GrandNarcs front, VulNarcs feign.
But here comes the part of the paper that’s really going to be our area of focus. Buckle up, everything is about to get topsy turvy.)
ADAPTIVE NARCISSISM
Sekowski et al. (2021) [23] aimed to elucidate the association between facets of narcissism and resilience, and found that grandiose narcissism was strongly associated with adaptive capacity, while vulnerable narcissism was associated with less resilience capacity.
(….)
Loeffler et al. (2020) [24] observed a high tendency for the use of the maladaptive regulation strategy of suppression by individuals scoring highly for vulnerable narcissism compared to those scoring highly for grandiose narcissism.
Similarly, other authors have differentiated between adaptive narcissism, which is psychologically healthy and related to resilience [27], and maladaptive narcissism, which is associated with entitlement and negative affect [2].
(Whatwhatwhaaaat??? Did they just say…. Adaptive Narcissism?
Because, look, I know we live in a capitalistic society in which narcissism is rewarded… and, sure, it can grant you a better life if you’re a white cis male in corporate structures… but “adaptive narcissism” are two words I don’t think I’ve heard together before, outside of my own brain’s ponderings that I quickly quieted.
And with this echoing of my own dismissed ideas, I have to say… yeehaw.
I gasped, dropped the physical copy of this paper on the ground, and started googling. That paper is now covered in notes, I have several more to follow up with, and in the two weeks since I read this study, I can honestly say that my self-esteem and outlook on life has done a 180 degree flip.
So. Let’s get into this fucking paper. We’ll have discussions and followup readings with time. But you need to hear this ASAP to start applying it to your own way-making in the world.
Starting with learning about a BIG protective factor that differs between the narcs. Perception of stress. They say:)
STRESS
The same disparity in results can be seen with respect to the association between
narcissism and perceived stress. Papageorgiou et al. (2019) [28] reported that subclinical
narcissism was a predictor of lower perceived stress, while Coleman et al. (2019) [29]
found that grandiosity and vulnerability narcissistic traits were related to altered stress
reactivity.
The differential influence on stress reactivity has been suggested to depend on the
association of resilience capacity with the grandiose narcissism trait [29].
In support of this, Kajonius and Björkman [30] described a strong positive relationship between vulnerable narcissism and perceived stress, while grandiose narcissism showed a weak negative relationship with perceived stress.
(Okay, so the GrandNarcs go big and don’t let the world influence their self-esteem; their self-esteem influences the world. Therefore, when a wrench is thrown their way, they perceptually dodge the wrench, assume the wrench cannot touch the god-given hair on their heads, or otherwise support themselves into downgrading that concern with confidence.
Meanwhile, the VulNarcs who are continual victims see this as another example of such, and therefore, are affected by it.
Together, this creates a difference in the ability of each narc to deal with life challenges. Resilience. Which would, of course, be very tightly linked to trauma and PTSD.)
Considering the two types of narcissism, it seems that grandiose narcissism might be a
protective factor against emotional problems. This is attributable to the fact that, although in
the long-term, narcissism is characterized by negative interpersonal functioning, in the short
term it is characterized by positive intrapersonal functioning (e.g., high self-esteem) [31].
(Some of these dry, scientific lines send me.
In the short term, the Narc feels good about their self-beliefs and the assumed positive impressions they’re making on everyone around them.
In the long term, they find out that others don’t have the same high regard for them that they have for themselves and their reality isn’t reality. The negative interpersonal functioning begins.
But that’s not such a cut and dry tale of lifelong doom for the GrandNarc. As many of us well-know. They say:)
Nonetheless, according to the multidimensional nature of grandiose narcissism, its effects
on well-being outcomes are likely to depend on the dimensions (of narcissism); leadership/authority has generally been linked to adaptive outcomes, whereas entitlement and exploitativeness have been associated with maladaptive outcomes [32,33].
(Different aspects of the disorder or trait characteristics lead to different outcomes.)
Overall, there is conflicting research regarding narcissism. Almost all studies conducted
to date mostly focused on the well-established association between narcissism
and childhood traumatic experiences. However, the plausible impact of narcissistic traits
on psychological adjustment in relation to other traumatic experiences, and therefore the
presence of post-traumatic symptoms, has rarely been [17,18].
Moreover, despite the proven utility of the transdiagnostic approach in the treatment of mental health problems [5,34–36], and the mixed results regarding the relationship between the two types of narcissism (Vulnerable vs. Grandiose) and mental health adjustment, few studies have focused on their individual constituents, especially with respect to grandiose narcissism dimensions, the effects of which on health outcomes and self-regulation seem to be mediated by…. a positive outlook [32,33].
(Huh, back to when we discussed VulNarcs’ prevalently negative affect and memory systems.
Meanwhile, perhaps, GrandNarcs enjoy better health outcomes and self-regulation skills due to being less down in the dumps? DUE to their self-delusions of grandeur?)
Given the aforementioned relationships between narcissism and emotional factors, and
the conflicting research regarding narcissism, the present study aimed to: (1) explore the
association between narcissism and the frequency and severity of post-traumatic symptoms;
(2) analyze the association between narcissism and emotional factors such as resilience
capacity, emotional regulation, positive and negative affect, perceived stress and intolerance
of uncertainty; and (3) study the possible mediational role of emotional factors on the
relationship between the various narcissistic personality traits and the frequency and
severity of post-traumatic symptoms.
Additionally, owing to the reported mediational role of resilience in the effect of grandiose narcissism on stress reactivity [29], an exploratory mediational analysis of the different narcissism dimensions, perceived stress and resilience was conducted.
(So.
All that being said.
It’s unclear how Narcissism relates to PTSD and PTSD resilience. The two subtypes appear to have different outcomes, which might be related to their overarching perspectives and emotional characteristics.
And we’re asking how:
Seven components of narcissism relate to:
Five components of resilience:
Perception of stress:
Intolerance of uncertainty:
Positive or negative affect:
PTS frequency and severity:
And emotional regulation skills of reappraisal or suppression.
In order to find out:
Is the key to “go high” with our assessments of self as a method of preventing and/or recovering from trauma? Words I never thought I’d say.
Will GrandNarc tendencies lead us to long-term resilience and growth? Or, to be more specific and accurate, are there at least components of grandiose narcissism that might act as protective and resiliency-building factors?
Let’s find out.)
METHOD
A total of 115 non-clinical psychological undergraduate university students
and their relatives (of whom 94 were female and 20 were male), aged from 18 to 40 years
(M = 22.17 years, SD = 4.64), were asked to fill in a set of questionnaires.
The exclusion criteria included suffering from any mental condition and the consumption of certain substances (e.g., anxiolytics, antidepressants, hypnotics, benzodiazepines or illegal psychoactive drugs).
(Alright, so I have questions. That’s a lot of female energy in a study. And I ask… How can we study a population that’s inextricably linked with “mental conditions” if that’s an exclusionary point for participants? Don’t worry, both of those points will come up in the author’s stated limitations at the end.
Anyways, they continue… and I normally skip this part, but I think it’s semi interesting this time around… )
An identification code was generated to maintain the anonymity of the participants, who were asked to complete all of the below-described self-report questionnaires.
The Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) was developed by Raskin and Terry (1988). This scale measures the narcissistic personality trait through 40 items and 7 sub-scales:
(1) Leadership/ Authority, i.e., the ability to control and influence others,
(2) Exhibitionism, i.e., the tendency to be the center of attention,
(3) Superiority, i.e., the belief (and consequently behavior) of being better than others,
(4) Entitlement, i.e., the feeling of having more rights than others and deserving special treatment,
(5) Exploitativeness, i.e., the tendency to exploit others without empathizing with their emotions, needs or interests,
(6) Self-sufficiency, i.e., the belief that one achieves everything on one’s own, and
(7) Vanity, i.e., excessive pride in or admiration of one’s own appearance or accomplishments.
(read the 7 components again)
The items are responded to via a forced choice between narcissistic and non-narcissistic alternative options (e.g., “I really like to be the center of attention” vs. “It makes me uncomfortable to be the center of attention” [39]).
The Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) was developed by Connor and
Davidson (2003). This scale consists of 25 items spread among five factors measuring the ability to overcome negative experiences and emerge stronger.
The five factors are:
personal competence, high standards, and tenacity (Persistence);
trust in one’s instincts, tolerance to negative affect and the character-building effects of stress (Purpose);
positive acceptance of change and secure relationships (Adaptability);
(Control);
and (Spirituality).
(read the five factors of resilience again)
Scores range between 0 (Not at all true) and 4 (True nearly all the time) on all subscale items.
The total scale score is in the range of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating a higher level of resilience.
The Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS) is a self-rating scale used for diagnosing and
measuring symptom severity and treatment outcomes in post-traumatic stress disorder. This instrument assesses the frequency and severity of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in patients who have experienced trauma. It is composed of 17 items scored using a five-point Likert scale (never to very often).
(Hey! I’ve definitely taken that before. My therapist used to have me fill it out before every session.)
The original Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was developed by Cohen et al. (1983) [46]. This self-report instrument assesses the level of perceived stress during the last month. It comprises 14 items and uses a five-point scale response format (0 = never, 4 = very often). Total scores range from 0 to 56, and higher scores reflect higher levels of perceived stress.
The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS) I did a small amount of additional googling and got this for us: “The IUS includes 27 items relating to the idea that uncertainty is unacceptable, reflects badly on a person, and leads to frustration, stress, and the inability to take action.”
Here are some example questions:
- Uncertainty stops me from having a firm opinion.
- Being uncertain means that a person is disorganized.
- Uncertainty makes life intolerable.
- It’s unfair not having any guarantees in life.
- My mind can’t be relaxed if I don’t know what will happen tomorrow.
How trauma-rific. And I got that from the PhenXToolkit, which is a website that appears fun to mess around with if you want to take some assessments for shits and giggles. You know, with grains of salt.)
The Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) was developed by Watson et al.
(1988) [52]. The 20 PANAS items respond to a five-point Likert scale ; it is subdivided into two main factors, which correlate negatively and independently: (1) positive affect, which includes affective states with positive valence, such as joy, enthusiasm, and a positive mood, and refers to a pleasant state of mind characterized by motivation, energy, greater desire for affiliation, a sense of belonging and life satisfaction; and (2) negative affect, which includes negative states
of mind such as sadness, fear, anxiety or anger, and refers to a subjective discomfort
that can act as a latent factor promoting depression [52].
The Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) The ERQ is a 10-item instrument scored using a seven-point Likert- scale that ranges from 0 (totally disagree) to 4 (totally agree). It assesses two factors: emotional suppression (inhibition of expression of emotional behaviors with no obvious decrease in the intensity of the negative emotion) and cognitive reappraisal (ability to construct a new and adaptive meaning to mitigate the negative emotional impact of a specific situation). Higher scores indicate a higher level of resilience.
Okay, so they’re analyzing components of narcissism:
(1) Leadership/ Authority, i.e., the ability to control and influence others,
(2) Exhibitionism, i.e., the tendency to be the center of attention,
(3) Superiority, i.e., the belief (and consequently behavior) of being better than others,
(4) Entitlement, i.e., the feeling of having more rights than others and deserving special treatment,
(5) Exploitativeness, i.e., the tendency to exploit others without empathizing with their emotions, needs or interests,
(6) Self-sufficiency, i.e., the belief that one achieves everything on one’s own, and
(7) Vanity, i.e., excessive pride in or admiration of one’s own appearance or accomplishments.
With sources of resilience:
(Persistence);
(Purpose);
(Adaptability);
(Control);
(Spirituality).
Versus traumatic symptom frequency and severity, stress perceptions, intolerance of uncertainty, emotional affect, and emotional regulation skills.
And let’s see what they find out about grandiose versus vulnerable narcissists, and their ability to adapt and grow.
RESULTS
(I’m going to throw some results at you in rapid fire fashion, the way they’re written. Really, this is a paper where you’re massively benefitted and filled with new comprehension by examining the tables and graphics for all the minute details that can move worlds.
But let’s cover some quick facts verbally. Then we’ll come back for the discussion on what those results possibly mean.
As far as components of narcissism:)
…Authority positively predicted persistence, control, adaptability, purpose and the total resilience score.
Exhibitionism positively predicted persistence, control and the total resilience score.
Exploitativeness negatively predicted persistence, spirituality and the total resilience score.
Self-sufficiency positively predicted persistence, adaptability, purpose and the total resilience score.
Vanity positively predicted the control resilience sub-scale score.
Positive affect was positively predicted by authority and vanity. There were no
significant predictors of negative affect.
Emotional suppression was negatively predicted by superiority and vanity, and positively predicted by entitlement.
Finally, intolerance of uncertainty was negatively predicted by authority, superiority, self-sufficiency and vanity, and positively predicted by entitlement.
(Okay, bunch of facts that – trust me – you can think about for quite a while as you run through traits of people and yourself. And, again, I do recommend checking out the graphics that come with this paper if you really want to think about protective mediating factors. Mayyyybe I’ve shared it in the new micrommunity that’s cropping up around Narcissism. Advanced invites, coming soon.
But for now let’s bite into this discussion by the authors and paint our own picture without the paper in hand.)
DISCUSSION
Despite the fact that narcissism has mostly been studied in association with negative experiences in childhood, and has been proposed to arise from such experiences [60–62], its association with the severity and frequency of post-traumatic symptoms in the present study confirms the suggestion by Levi and Bachar (2019) [17] and Simon et al. (2002) [18] of an association between narcissism and post-traumatic symptoms that goes beyond childhood.
(And you’ll remember, a few weeks ago we hypothesized that there was a connection between PTSD symptoms and Vulnerable Narcissism. So this is a timely paragraph to come upon.
But, in relation to our narcissistic components, what do we find?)
..The frequency of post-traumatic symptoms was positively related to entitlement, and negatively to vanity and self-sufficiency. This latter negative association was also found for posttraumatic symptom severity.
(They’re saying… more entitlement, more PTS. More vanity and self-sufficiency, less AND less intense symptoms.)
However, at first glance, the associations of lower post-traumatic symptom frequency
and severity with greater vanity and self-sufficiency may seem incongruent with the
proposed link between vulnerability to trauma and narcissistic personality traits [17,18].
….(but) with respect to self-sufficiency, the analyses conducted in the present
study demonstrated mediational roles of affect and resilience in this relationship, with
might explain the lower frequency and severity of post-traumatic symptoms associated
with this narcissism dimension.
(More self-sufficiency, more positive emotions and measures of resiliency!)
Expanding previous research findings [28], grandiose narcissism, and specifically the
dimensions self-sufficiency and vanity, showed a negative relationship with perceived stress
in this study.
(More self-sufficiency and vanity, better relationship to stress as the cherry on top.
While, commonly, we speak of vanity and self-sufficiency as being negative possibly being conflated with unhealthy self-interest… these factors are actually protective.
Now here comes a REAL kicker. The stinker part of being a narcissist, according to analysis?)
ENTITLEMENT
Moreover, vulnerability to post-traumatic symptoms might depend mainly on the
entitlement trait which, among all of the narcissistic traits, was the only one related to
worse post-traumatic outcomes.
Regression analyses confirmed this pattern of associations, suggesting that vanity and self-sufficiency might protect against post-traumatic symptoms in some individuals, while entitlement would have a detrimental effect.
(Vanity and self-sufficiency protect; entitlement is connected to worse PTS outcomes.)
Against this background, among all the grandiose narcissism dimensions, entitlement and exploitativeness have been proposed to constitute the core of narcissism [32,63], and mainly reflect maladaptive narcissism and a general tendency toward antagonism [5–8,32,33].
(OKAY. So the two possibly destructive components of narcissism – exploitativeness and entitlement – are also possibly the two strongest aspects of narcissism. Which might be where narcs get a bad name.
Also. Isn’t that echoing what we said about VulNarcs recently? Entitlement due to their perception of victimhood and exploitativeness thanks, in part, to their inability to directly request help… leads to maladaptive narcissism and social antagonism. These are definitely aspects of narcissism more closely related to Vulnerable Narcdom, and they are poor indicators of resiliency.
Meanwhile, those vanity and self-sufficiency findings are looking pretty un-damning.. Especially as they relate to affect and Grandiose Narcissism’s positive outcomes.
Because, uh, it’s not as fair weathered on the Covert Narc side of the fence.)
Regarding positive and negative affect, positive associations were observed between
the majority of the grandiose narcissistic traits and positive affect, whereas the associations
were negative for negative affect. Lower scores for the self-sufficiency and vanity traits were
related to greater negative affect.
(That last sentence is a doozy. Less self-sufficiency and vanity, worse mood. Greater self-sufficiency and vanity, better mood. Which matters because:)
Vulnerable vs Grandiose affect
Previous literature has demonstrated a positive relationship between vulnerable narcissism
and explicit negative affect [8,64]…. Grandiose narcissism seemed to increase positive, and decrease negative, affect.
(Now how about that? The GrandNarcs are walking on sunshine.)
In support of our findings, grandiose narcissism has been related to high-approach positive
affect following provocation [65]. Hence, positive affect in individuals exhibiting grandiose narcissism might be a coping strategy promoting the accomplishment of goals [65].
(High approach positive affect means emotions like enthusiasm, excitement, and desire. They’re feelings that promote engagement and offer motivation. So, following provocation, GrandNarcs are more likely to re-engage with life or challenges in that life in the pursuit of their “own shit,” as we might say.
Meanwhile, Vulnarcs? Probably withdrawing to protect themselves. Exhibiting low approach negative affect would be the guess. These keep us immobilized rather than motivating us.
Now let’s talk about the dangers of emotional suppression and the connection between components of narcissism versus forms of resilience.)
Emotional regulation
Our findings do not support a specific relationship between difficulties with emotional regulation
and grandiose narcissism [24].
(let’s let that sink in. But here comes the kicker.)
Surprisingly, entitlement was inversely associated with greater emotional suppression, and this association was confirmed by regression analyses. Given these results, it is reasonable to speculate that the negative/maladaptive connotation of entitlement [33] is likely to be a consequence of its relation with emotional suppression.
(oh, okay, everything is making sense again.)
Emotional suppression strategies are related to a type of avoidance of expressing emotional
behaviors, as part of a larger defense mechanism that leads to relief in the short-term but
has harmful long-term consequences. It has been demonstrated that while people who
usually suppress emotions avoid suffering in the short term, they are subsequently faced
with greater discomfort [66] and are more predisposed to mental health problems [67,68].
(So, those who cognitively reappraise as a method for emotional management tend to fare better than those who suppress. And of the narcissistic components, emotional suppression is only linked with an aspect we already discussed as problematic – Entitlement.)
Resilience
The established strong association between grandiose narcissism and the adaptive capacity of resilience [23] was also confirmed by the present study.
most of the narcissism dimensions (authority, exhibitionism, self-sufficiency
and vanity) were positively associated with all of the resilience sub-scales except spirituality,
persistence and total resilience (the two last results were from the regression analyses),
which were negatively associated with exploitativeness.
(Meaning, with Exploitativeness, you decrease spirituality, persistence, and total resilience. All other resilience factors correlate positively with other components of narcissism.)
Our findings suggest that positive affect and resilience may promote coping with pressure and the negative consequences of trauma, given that they are central features in the explanation of post-traumatic symptoms based on the adaptive role of grandiose narcissistic traits.
Additionally, our findings supported a mediating role for total resilience in the association
between grandiose narcissism and stress [29].
However, not all grandiose narcissism dimensions were significant in terms of this mediational result, which was limited to the exhibitionism, self-sufficiency and vanity dimensions; specifically, the findings suggest a mediational role of total resilience in the relationships between these specific narcissism dimensions and stress, but not narcissism as a whole.
(AKA exhibitionism, self-sufficiency, and vanity have helpful associations with positive affect and resiliency factors that mediate the effects of trauma via reduction of symptoms. There are positive aspects of grandiose narcissism.)
Intolerance of uncertainty
Finally, greater intolerance of uncertainty was associated with less pronounced narcissism characteristics in general, but this was especially true for entitlement.
(Pulling it together)
These findings confirm that entitlement and exploitativeness are key elements of maladaptive narcissism [32,33].
… Intolerance of uncertainty was also a significant mediator of the association
between post-traumatic symptom frequency and self-sufficiency (narcissism). The mediational
model showed that greater self-sufficiency led to milder post-traumatic symptoms,
as mediated by lower intolerance of uncertainty.
(In other words, being okay with the future is a powerful tool that mediates the relationship between self-sufficiency and lesser PTS.)
Interest in the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and emotions has rapidly increased over the last decade. In particular, the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and the underlying ‘fear of the unknown’ has attracted attention, as has the role of intolerance of uncertainty in the development, maintenance, and treatment of a broad array of emotional disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety [79]).
Furthermore, intolerance of uncertainty has been related to negative affect [80] and seems to play a crucial role in a transdiagnostic model relevant to clinical management [81]. Similar to emotional regulation, our results confirmed the importance of the management of intolerance of uncertainty in the transdiagnostic approach.
Considering these mediational results, it is plausible that promoting certain facets of
adaptive narcissism could be an appropriate strategy for enhancing emotional regulation
and stress management in some individuals.
(we are going to discuss all of this next week when we get into the many implications and connections that can be drawn from everything we just discussed. But for today, let’s finish up with this paper.)
Conclusions: Talking yourself up and other ways to help yourself adapt resiliently
It is well-known that resilience is associated with a range of positive personal attitudes
and behaviors [76]. By combining resilience resources with protective factors, individuals
perform better and can remain healthy even under high pressure [77].
Furthermore, the scope of psychological interventions could be expanded such that they
aim not only to modify personality traits that have traditionally been considered pathologic,
but also to explore their benefits for emotional health and promote them.
It seems that certain features of narcissism, i.e., those related to a positive orientation toward various life domains, including the self, may be crucial for psychological adjustment to adversity
Concerning mediational analyses, the main findings were that greater positive affect
and lower negative affect were significant mediators of the relationship between self sufficiency
and post-traumatic symptom frequency and severity, confirming the protective role of positive affect in general health [69–71] and the need to enhance emotional education.
Thus, it is possible that positive affect could serve as an important therapeutic
target in trauma treatment, given its relationships with forgiveness and general health.
Moreover, resilience (especially the purpose and persistence dimensions) was also a significant
mediator of the association between post-traumatic symptoms and self-sufficiency (post-traumatic symptom frequency and severity).
(I mean, be happier, manage your emotions with reflection not suppression, and be more resilient isn’t the most helpful advice.
But how else can we help ourselves?)
Self-enhancement, which involves self sufficiency, is a dimension of purpose previously linked to resilience [72,73]. Although some authors agree with the traditional idea that mental health requires realistic appraisal and acceptance of personal limitations and negative characteristics [72,73], other researchers argue that unrealistic or overly positive biases in favor of the self, such as self-enhancement, can be adaptive and promote well-being [74].
Likewise, trait self-enhancement has been associated with personal benefits, such as high self-esteem [74,75]. .
Considering grandiose narcissistic traits (and their differential effects [adaptive vs. maladaptive]
on emotional health outcomes) as part of the transdiagnostic perspective may
be important for personalized behavior management, which has been demonstrated to
be essential for mood regulation as an alternative to medications [85].
It seems that certain features of narcissism, i.e., those related to a positive orientation toward various life domains, including the self, may be crucial for psychological adjustment to adversity
(Yeah, I said that last part again. Because hot damn.)
LIMITATIONS
Again, I usually don’t get explicitly into the limitations, but let’s do it. In part, to remind everyone how imperfect science is… so much so, that it’s required to state the limitations of your study within your study, so as not to stupidly pretend that your work has zero logical flaws amongst the other researchers who will quickly point them out.
Also, because we’re mentioning cultural differences a lot lately, and there’s another one to keep in mind. The Spaniards and their cultural acceptance of some forms of Narcissism. The authors say:)
In this sense, the main limitations of our study were its cross-sectional design, which
does not allow for the establishment of causal associations, and the no correction for
Type I errors.
Moreover, the analysis was based on self-reported measures, which could
be sensitive to biases such as participant mood [86]. Furthermore, the use of self-report
instruments might lead to bias in terms of the influence of emotional states on the reportage
of symptom impact and severity.
In addition, given the apparent gender differences in narcissism [87], it would be advisable for future studies to include more males in their samples, to allow binomial analysis of narcissism in relation to traumatic experiences and emotional factors. However, exploiting gender differences was not an objective of the present study, strengths of which included the novelty of the theme and clinical relevance to personalized treatment.
Furthermore, our large sample size allowed for the performance of a mediation analysis, which provides greater insight into the complex interrelation between predictors. Similar studies to the present one, but including various clinical populations instead of healthy subjects, might also be instructive.
Finally, it is important to notice that in the cultural context of Spain, and opposite to
that which occurs in other cultural contexts (e.g., Thailand), there is a tendency on Cognitive
Empathy but not Affective Empathy [88].
Although narcissism has mainly been associated with the lack of Affective Empathy [89,90] and Spanish culture is not characterized by showing a general high tendency of narcissism traits, Spaniards’ socialization is based on competitiveness and self-sufficiency, that is, narcissistic traits that are generally praised by the Spanish population.
Therefore, more studies replicating the current results are needed, in order to establish if the positive or negative health influence of narcissism is mediated not only by the culture but also by the region and geography.
END
And that’s it.
I’m going to end here, with your brain full of unexpected little morsels of information. I’m going to let it linger again. And come back with thoughts from you guys (ng’d) and myself next time, as we point out big takeaways from the conversation and move into a new one.
… til we talk about this in greater depth for the next few weeks…
Hail yourdamnself.
Get a little narcy about it.
Hail Alex, for sending in this paper. Shiiiiit girl, ng’d, this was a brain changer.
Hail Marcus Barks.
And cheers, y’all.