Narcissistic personality disorder
Searched over 200M research papers
Research Analysis by Consensus
Consensus Meter
Introduction
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a recognized psychiatric condition characterized by a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy. Despite extensive study, NPD remains challenging to diagnose and treat. This synthesis aims to provide an overview of the latest research findings on NPD, focusing on its prevalence, characteristics, comorbidities, and treatment approaches.
Key Insights
-
Prevalence and Demographics:
- NPD has a low prevalence in adult nonclinical samples, with a mean prevalence of 1.06% and a range from 0% to 6.2%.
- Lifetime prevalence is higher in men (7.7%) compared to women (4.8%) and is more common among younger adults and certain ethnic groups.
-
Core Characteristics:
- NPD is marked by deficits in self-concept, interpersonal relationships, social adaptation, ethics, standards, ideals, love, sexuality, and cognitive style.
- Core features include grandiosity, need for admiration, lack of empathy, and a sense of entitlement.
-
Comorbidity:
- NPD shows high comorbidity with mood, anxiety, substance use, and other personality disorders .
- It is particularly associated with bipolar I disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizotypal and borderline personality disorders.
-
Functional Impairment and Distress:
- NPD is linked to significant functional impairment and psychological distress, primarily causing dysfunction and distress in interpersonal domains.
- The disorder is associated with considerable disability, especially among men.
-
Diagnostic Challenges:
- There are inconsistencies in phenotypic descriptions and taxonomic models, leading to a discrepancy between low prevalence rates and higher rates of practitioner-diagnosed pathological narcissism.
- DSM-IV criteria for NPD are criticized for being too narrow and not capturing the full range of narcissistic pathology .
-
Subtypes of NPD:
- Research identifies three subtypes of NPD: grandiose/malignant, fragile, and high-functioning/exhibitionistic, each with distinct features.
-
Treatment Approaches:
- There is a lack of studies meeting criteria for effective treatment of NPD without comorbidities.
- Treatment modalities focus on understanding and addressing internal control, self-esteem, perfectionism, self-criticism, shame, and empathic ability.
Conclusion
Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a complex and multifaceted condition with low prevalence but significant impact on individuals and their interpersonal relationships. It is characterized by grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy, with high comorbidity with other mental disorders. Diagnostic criteria and treatment approaches need refinement to better capture the full spectrum of narcissistic pathology and improve clinical outcomes. Further research is essential to develop more effective diagnostic tools and treatment strategies.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
Narcissistic personality disorder
Prevalence and treatment of narcissistic personality disorder in the community: a systematic review.
Overview: narcissistic personality disorder.
Narcissistic personality disorder: relations with distress and functional impairment.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder and the Structure of Common Mental Disorders.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder: A Current Review
Pathological narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder.
Prevalence, correlates, disability, and comorbidity of DSM-IV narcissistic personality disorder: results from the wave 2 national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions.
Refining the construct of narcissistic personality disorder: diagnostic criteria and subtypes.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Try another search
what is aging
The ethics and implications of autonomous vehicles in transportation, urban planning, and societal impact.
What are the developments in biodegradable electronics and their environmental benefits?
What is the impact of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on agriculture?
How do we develop drugs and therapeutics based on biochemical principles?
assertive intention in secondhand smoke really matters?