There is empirical research demonstrating these patterns of parenting in people scoring highly on narcissism. For example, adults report parenting that was ‘cold or neglectful’ (eg otway&vignoles 2006),‘overvaluing’ (eg brummelman et al 2015) or ‘controlling’(eg horton et al 2006). There are problems with how to apply alot of research as they measure things like “warmth” and “lenient parenting” and these concepts are a bit vague. There is also no doubt some genetic aspect which affects how we respond to parenting styles. As you say, we now know that autism is much more genetic and not brought about by adverse childhood experiences. The evidence with narcissism, as i understand it, is moving in the opposite direction.
The main treatments for narcissism are based on an understanding that a particular set of childhood relational experiences are behind narcissism: they include transference focussed psychotherapy, mentalization based treatment, CAT (from which i took the map of narcissism), Schema Therapy and others.
Narcissism is associated with a ‘dismissing’ adult attachment style. A huge amount of research evidence connects a dismissive attachment style with particular parenting experiences.
Much more research has been done into borderline personality disorder( bpd/eupd), and there is more evidence connecting this to parenting styles and trauma. However, increasingly, narcissistic personality disorder is understood as a similar kind of pathology on a continuum with bpd. See my ‘neighbours of narcissism’ post for more on this.
My own little experiment looking at icons of music and film is not scientific. But i have been surprised by the unusual childhood experiences of these examples, chosen only on the basis of earned iconic fame. My clinical experience also backs up the theory i have described, and so there are further dramatic stories that i cannot write about.
This trauma-explanation of narcissism: Is it scientific or is it just a theory? I mean, do we know that if a person is exhibiting narcissistic traits, they were treated wrongly as a child?
Autism was also thought to be caused by parents. Now it is thought to be heritable. Do you think the explanation of narcissism could change the same way?
Hi Tove K,
Good question!
There is empirical research demonstrating these patterns of parenting in people scoring highly on narcissism. For example, adults report parenting that was ‘cold or neglectful’ (eg otway&vignoles 2006),‘overvaluing’ (eg brummelman et al 2015) or ‘controlling’(eg horton et al 2006). There are problems with how to apply alot of research as they measure things like “warmth” and “lenient parenting” and these concepts are a bit vague. There is also no doubt some genetic aspect which affects how we respond to parenting styles. As you say, we now know that autism is much more genetic and not brought about by adverse childhood experiences. The evidence with narcissism, as i understand it, is moving in the opposite direction.
The main treatments for narcissism are based on an understanding that a particular set of childhood relational experiences are behind narcissism: they include transference focussed psychotherapy, mentalization based treatment, CAT (from which i took the map of narcissism), Schema Therapy and others.
Narcissism is associated with a ‘dismissing’ adult attachment style. A huge amount of research evidence connects a dismissive attachment style with particular parenting experiences.
Much more research has been done into borderline personality disorder( bpd/eupd), and there is more evidence connecting this to parenting styles and trauma. However, increasingly, narcissistic personality disorder is understood as a similar kind of pathology on a continuum with bpd. See my ‘neighbours of narcissism’ post for more on this.
My own little experiment looking at icons of music and film is not scientific. But i have been surprised by the unusual childhood experiences of these examples, chosen only on the basis of earned iconic fame. My clinical experience also backs up the theory i have described, and so there are further dramatic stories that i cannot write about.
This trauma-explanation of narcissism: Is it scientific or is it just a theory? I mean, do we know that if a person is exhibiting narcissistic traits, they were treated wrongly as a child?
Autism was also thought to be caused by parents. Now it is thought to be heritable. Do you think the explanation of narcissism could change the same way?