A dysfunctional attitude can cause emotional stress in vulnerable narcissists

Pathological narcissism has long been associated with mood disorders. Now, a study published in Personality and Mental Health reveals that narcissistic sufferers struggle to control their emotions, and this problem may stem from an inability to understand their own thoughts and feelings. These findings highlight isolation as an important factor in managing the emotional problems faced by vulnerable narcissists.

Pathological narcissism is often understood in two basic terms: extreme narcissism and vulnerable narcissism. Extreme narcissism is often associated with an extreme sense of self-importance, entitlement, and the need to control or humiliate others to maintain a sense of self-importance. People with extreme narcissism often appear confident, enthusiastic and self-confident, but beneath this facade, they rely on external validation to reinforce their exaggerated self-image.

Vulnerable narcissism, on the other hand, is characterized by extreme feelings of criticism, feelings of inadequacy, and a tendency to feel ashamed and insecure. Rather than projecting optimism, people with narcissism may appear anxious, depressed, or withdrawn. They still crave validation and acceptance but are often overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness and self-doubt.

The purpose of the study was to investigate how these two types of narcissism are related to emotional regulation problems, especially in clinical populations. Emotion regulation refers to how people manage and respond to their emotional experiences. Previous research has shown that people with narcissism struggle to control their emotions. However, most of this research has been done on the general population, leaving a gap in understanding how these strengths work in clinical settings, where people already have emotional problems.

The researchers also wanted to examine the role of thinking—specifically, the ability to think about one’s own feelings (self-centeredness) and the feelings of others (thinking differently)—in the relationship between narcissism and pathology and emotional regulation. By focusing on thinking, the study aimed to uncover whether problems with thinking about one’s emotions could explain why people with narcissistic tendencies have difficulty controlling their emotions. see.

To examine these relationships, researchers conducted a survey of 183 patients who were being treated at an outpatient center that deals with mood disorders. These patients had a variety of psychiatric conditions, including borderline personality disorder, attention deficit disorder, and emotion regulation problems, all of which may have influenced their narcissistic behaviors and the ability to think.

Participants completed several standardized tests to measure different aspects of their cognitive functioning. Pathological narcissism was assessed using two scales: the Pathological Narcissism Inventory (which measures severity and vulnerability) and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (which measures severity). Emotion regulation was assessed with the Emotion Regulation Scale, which assesses various aspects of emotion regulation, such as recognizing and accepting emotions, controlling emotions, and finding ways to control emotions.

Mentalization ability was measured using the Mentalization Scale, which assesses the ability to understand one’s own emotions (self-confidence), the emotions of others (thinking about other things), and motivation to participate in to think. The researchers also considered the patients’ symptoms of borderline personality disorder and attention deficit disorder, based on their known influence on narcissism and emotion regulation.

Researchers have found that narcissistic vulnerability is strongly related to emotion regulation problems. Patients with high narcissistic vulnerability scores tended to struggle with controlling their emotions, especially in situations where they felt their self-esteem was at risk. These people had difficulty controlling their emotions, accepting their emotions, and finding effective ways to manage their emotions.

Interestingly, the researchers found that this relationship between narcissistic vulnerability and emotion regulation was mediated by self-efficacy. In other words, people who were unable to think and understand their mental states tended to have more problems controlling their emotions. This suggests that developing self-awareness skills may help narcissistic individuals to manage their emotions more effectively.

Conversely, the narcissistic dimension showed a more negative relationship with emotional and cognitive regulation. Although large size was associated with both problems with emotion regulation and self-care, these associations disappeared when researchers accounted for other psychological conditions, such as borderline personality disorder and anxiety disorder. don’t care. This suggests that these comorbid conditions may play a greater role in the emotional problems of individuals with greater narcissism than the majority themselves.

However, the researchers found that narcissistic grandiosity was positively related to narcissism, meaning that people exhibiting high narcissism were better at understanding the mental states of others. This is surprising, since large size is often associated with lack of empathy. These people may be more adept at reading the emotions of others in a way that allows them to manipulate social situations to their advantage.

However, it is important to note that a cross-sectional study design, which involves collecting data at one point in time, limits the ability of researchers to determine whether a single variable causes changes in straight to the other. Without following the participants for a long time, it is not clear whether psychological problems lead to emotional disturbances in people with pathological narcissism or if problems with emotion regulation contribute to cognitive impairment. Longer-term studies would be needed to establish a clear cause-and-effect relationship between these factors.

Study, “The relationship between pathological narcissism and emotion regulation: The role of self-efficacy?” written by Martin Blay, Margaux Bouteloup, Miguel Duarte, Roland Hasler, Eleonore Pham, Rosetta Nicastro, Marlène Jan, Martin Debbané, and Nader Perroud.