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While the objective level of intelligence is not associated with narcissism, relations to self-assessed intelligence (SAI) have been repeatedly reported. Existing research suggests that different facets of narcissism may have different associations with SAI. In the current daily diary study (N = 176; N = 3975 total observations), we employed dynamic structural equation modeling to examine the relationships between facets of trait and state narcissism (i.e., agentic, antagonistic, and neurotic) and the level, variability, and instability of SAI assessed over 28 consecutive days. Both trait and state narcissism were consistently related to SAI: agentic narcissism showed a positive relationship, whereas antagonistic and neurotic narcissism showed negative relationships with SAI. Trait agentic and state antagonistic narcissism predicted greater variability of SAI scores throughout the study, while neither trait nor state narcissism predicted the instability of SAI. Finally, we found that experiencing increased agentic narcissism on one day, predicted perceiving oneself as more intelligent on the next day, but feeling smarter did not predict feeling narcissistic over time. Moreover, we demonstrated that differentiating between narcissism facets yielded more theoretically accurate results compared to distinguishing between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism.

Shame may be a transdiagnostic marker of psychopathology and might potentially have a negative impact on treatment outcome. This scoping review maps the empirical literature on shame and psychotherapy, with a focus on individual therapy. Searching the terms shame and psychotherapy in PubMed and PsycInfo, we identified 2,520 unique records. After screening and selection, 46 empirical studies were included in the review and three themes were extracted from them: the impact of psychotherapy on shame, the impact of shame on psychotherapy, and additional shame-related themes. Narrative synthesis suggested that shame decreases after psychotherapy. In a subset of quantitative treatment evaluation studies, a preliminary meta-analysis indicated a medium size decrease in shame. The impact of shame on individual psychotherapy was more nuanced. Additional themes included but were not limited to shame-appropriate versus nonappropriate therapeutic interventions or investigations of therapists’ reactions to patients’ shame. Research gaps and recommendations for future investigations are outlined.

Traits of pathological narcissism are linked with dysfunctional interpersonal processes. This intensive longitudinal study will investigate how pathological narcissism and interpersonal perceptions shape patients’ emotions during psychotherapy, specifically shame. There is no current data available: patients enrolled in individual psychotherapy will be assessed for narcissistic traits prior to entering a 17-week experience sampling assessment, collecting in-treatment emotions and perceptions of dominance (of self and therapist) after each psychotherapy session. We anticipate analyzing preliminary data from at least 50 participants using multilevel modeling. Patients who perceive themselves as less dominant than usual compared to their therapist (i.e., patients experiencing a higher-than-usual dominance dierential) are expected to report higher shame; traits of vulnerable narcissism are expected to amplify this association (cross-level interaction). The study will shed new light on the emotional and interpersonal dynamics associated with traits of pathological narcissism in clinical settings.

Withdrawal into fantasy can be a way to avoid conflicts and difficulties in real life and, as such, can represent a defense mechanism, which is traditionally traced back to schizoid/autistic phenomena. At the same time, fantasies of power, success, and ideal love are included among the criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder and represent a central feature of narcissistic pathology when assessed dimensionally. Clinically, grandiose fantasies are believed to compensate for deeper feelings of inadequacy and vulnerability, indicating that they may as well serve defensive purposes. To date, similarities and differences between autistic/schizoid and grandiose fantasies fall short of theoretical coordinates and have not been investigated empirically, nor has the relative role of schizoid and narcissistic traits been addressed in these defenses. The present contribution offers a theoretical discussion on the topic, investigating the role of fantasy in relation to both narcissistic and schizoid functioning. Preliminary empirical data from a nonclinical sample will be also used to investigate the link between maladaptive personality traits and different measures of fantasy. The assessment of fantasy in daily life with an intensive longitudinal design will allow detecting both trait-level and state-level dynamic processes. A specific focus will be on the relative contribution of narcissistic (both grandiose and vulnerable) and schizoid traits in the prediction of fantasy, and on the possibility to empirically discriminate between autistic/schizoid fantasy and fantasies with an explicitly grandiose content. Clinical and research implications will be discussed.

Traits of pathological narcissism are linked with dysfunctional interpersonal processes and an array of negative emotions. Given their relevance in clinical settings, this study explores interpersonal and emotional processes linked to narcissism during psychotherapy sessions, using an experience sampling design. Patients enrolled in individual psychotherapy are assessed on a number of trait variables, including grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits, prior to entering a 17-week experience sampling (ES) procedure. The ES procedure collects patient’s emotions and patient-reported dominance and hostility (both relative to self and therapist’s behavior) as they occur during treatment, session by session, with a brief survey administered after each psychotherapy session using a smartphone app and following an event-contingent design. Preliminary data are available from 25 patients (19 female), rating an average of 3.72 sessions each and providing a total of 93 observations. Random-intercept multilevel models indicate that grandiose narcissism predicts describing one’s behavior during the sessions as both dominant and warm, while vulnerable narcissism predicts describing one’s behavior as hostile. Perceptions of therapist’s behavior are not predicted by narcissism. Grandiose narcissism also predicts experiencing more pride in the interaction with the clinician. Current data suggest that no additional in-session emotion is predicted by narcissistic traits. Though very preliminary in nature, these findings start shedding new light on the emotional and interpersonal dynamics associated with traits of pathological narcissism in clinical settings.

Although interindividual differences in narcissism are well studied, little is known about assessing narcissism at the within-person level. To fill this research gap, we investigated whether the narcissism construct is represented in the same way at the between- and within-person levels. We analyzed four established narcissism measures across multiple studies. In each of the studies, participants completed narcissism measures in ecological momentary assessment or daily diary studies. Equivalent construct representation across between- and within-person narcissism (i.e., cross-level measurement invariance) was found. State narcissism measures showed convergent validities for the trait narcissism scales. Moreover, we also found that antagonistic narcissism was most strongly related to within-person variability in narcissism. Our investigation sheds new light on the structure and assessment of narcissism on the within-person level by providing a comprehensive examination of its measurement.

The Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI) is extensively used in recent empirical literature on pathological narcissism. However, most studies using the PNI are community-based, and no studies have used the PNI to investigate narcissistic presentations in personality disordered patients. This study investigates measurement invariance of the PNI in community participants and patients with personality disorders, and examines differences of narcissistic presentations in these samples through a multimethod approach. Results show that the PNI can be used reliably to measure and compare traits of pathological narcissism in community participants and patients with personality disorders. Personality disordered patients show higher traits reflecting vulnerable narcissism and overt manifestations of grandiose narcissism, compared with controls. Finally, network analysis indicates that traits of grandiose fantasies and entitlement rage have a central role in defining manifestations of PNI pathological narcissism, regardless of the presence of an underlying personality disorder. Research and clinical implications are discussed.

The first Italian lockdown during COVID-19 pandemic constituted an example of strong situation. Under this context, we investigated associations of HEXACO personality with COVID-19 mitigation behaviors (self-reported hygiene, distancing, going out). We tested unique associations through regularized regressions and out-of-sample prediction after establishing the best level of analysis (HEXACO traits, facets, items). Personality always explained out-of-sample variance over and above demographics, COVID-related knowledge, concern, impacts, and goals. Hygiene and distancing were best predicted by HEXACO traits, whereas facets constituted the best level for the prediction of going out. In general, honesty-humility (trait or facets) was the clearest predictor of safer behaviors. Results corroborate the relevance of personality even in strong situations, as well as its importance for COVID-19 mitigation.

Ghosting is a type of interpersonal rejection involving a unilateral communication interruption without explanation, using technological channels. Vulnerable narcissism and borderline traits can increase sensitivity to interpersonal rejection and reduce tolerance to ambiguity, whereas grandiose narcissism is related to low rejection sensitivity. Yet, the influence of narcissism and borderline on responses to ghosting is unexplored. We examined the influence of pathological personality traits on psychological reactions to direct breakup and ghosting (i.e., ambiguous breakup) in a sample of 604 young adults (mean age = 22.4 ± 2.74). After measuring borderline and narcissistic traits (grandiose and vulnerable), participants were randomly assigned to one of two scenario-based conditions: direct breakup or ghosting events. Negative emotions and state paranoia were assessed after the experimental manipulation. Participants experienced greater negative emotions and state paranoia in the ghosting condition compared to direct breakup. Individuals high in vulnerable narcissism and borderline traits anticipated higher negative emotions and state paranoia. Grandiose narcissism was unrelated to such reactions. Unexpectedly, pathological personality traits did not moderate the effect of breakup ambiguity on individuals' psychological reactions. Findings suggest that the impact of pathological personality traits is reduced in front of such a socially painful stimulus as an ambiguous rejection.

Recent diagnostic developments suggest that paranoia is a transdiagnostic characteristic common to several personality disorders rather than a personality disorder per se. Nonetheless, empirical literature fails to provide comprehensive and univocal findings on whether and how paranoid presentations relate to different personality disorders. In the present scoping review, we map the empirical literature on paranoid presentations in personality disorders, considering the entire spectrum of paranoid manifestations (i.e., the paranoia hierarchy). In selecting original quantitative studies on paranoid presentations in personality-disordered patients, we screened 4,433 records in PsycArticles, PsycInfo and PUBMED. We eventually included 47 eligible studies in the review. Our synthesis indicates consistent empirical evidence of a wide range of paranoid presentations in Paranoid, Schizotypal and Borderline personality disorders. Conversely, little empirical literature exists on paranoid presentations in other personality disorders. Preliminary findings suggest broad-severity paranoid presentations, ranging from milder to severe forms, in Paranoid, Schizotypal and Borderline personality disorders. There is also some evidence of milder forms of paranoia in Avoidant, Antisocial and Narcissistic personality disorders. Conversely, there is poor evidence of paranoid presentations in Schizoid, Histrionic, Dependent or Obsessive-compulsive personality disorders. Research gaps and recommendations for improving empirical research on paranoid presentations in personality disorders are discussed.

Introduction: Both variable- and person-centered approaches identify grandiose and vulnerable themes in pathological narcissism (PN). However, person-centered results rely on cross-sectional data, preventing identification of subtypes of individuals through transitory self-states. Methods: We perform a cluster analysis on the joint trajectory of daily ratings of grandiose narcissism (GN) and vulnerable narcissism (VN), collected during a 28-day experience sampling (N = 196 participants). Results: The best partition—identified by multiple criteria—includes three clusters: a “low PN” cluster displays below-average levels of both daily GN and VN; a “high VN” cluster displays average daily GN and above-average levels of daily VN; a “high GN” cluster shows above-average levels of daily GN and below-average levels of daily VN. Significant inter-cluster differences emerge on both daily and trait measures of narcissism, and on trait measures of self-esteem and shame, but less sharply on impairment in personality structure. There is no inter-cluster difference on the variability and instability of daily narcissism. Discussion: We conclude that the constructs of daily GN and VN define corresponding groups of individuals with either high GN or VN, the latter group being more distressed. Yet, this group is also less “pure” in its narcissistic characterization, showing at least some levels of trait and state GN.

Introduction: Pathological narcissism (PN) entails both grandiose (GN) and vulnerable narcissism (VN). These can be studied both at the variable-level – focusing on the constructs, such as on their covariation – and at the person-level, focusing on subjects and grouping individuals on the basis of their similarities and differences in grandiose and vulnerable manifestations. While there is emerging agreement on the defining features of GN and VN at the variable-level, controversies still exist when looking at the person level. For instance, there is no definitive understanding of the nature of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism as subtypes or rather as fluctuating/coexisting dimensions. Methods: In this work, we perform a cluster analysis on the joint trajectory of daily ratings of grandiose (GN) and vulnerable narcissism (GN), collected during a 28-day experience sampling study (N = 196 participants). Results: We use multiple criteria to find the best partition, which identifies three discrete clusters of individuals: a “low PN” cluster with below-average levels of both grandiose and vulnerable daily manifestations; a “high VN” cluster, displaying average daily GN and above-average levels of daily VN; a “high GN” cluster, with above-average levels of daily GN but below-average levels of daily VN. The three clusters differ on several trait measures of maladaptive narcissism, as well as on measures of trait self-esteem and shame. Non-significant or less sharp inter-group differences emerge regarding impairment in personality organization and stability/variability of daily narcissism. Discussion: We conclude that the constructs of daily GN and VN define corresponding groups of individuals with either high GN or VN, the latter group being more emotionally distressed. Yet, this group also shows at least some levels of trait and state GN. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that applies person-centered analyses to longitudinally assessed manifestations

Introduction: Shame appears in several psychopathological conditions, including but not limited to post- traumatic stress disorders, eating disorders, depression, and personality disorders. Given its relevance, this trans-diagnostic and trans-theoretical contribution investigates whether individual psychotherapy can promote shame-reduction. Methods: PRISMA-ScR guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, Extension for Scoping Reviews) are applied to conduct a scoping review of empirical findings. A combination of the terms shame and psychotherapy is searched in PubMed and PsycInfo, identifying 2,520 unique records. Among them, we select (1) original quantitative studies; (2) published as journal articles; and (3) focused on the impact of individual psychotherapy on patients’ shame. All treatment approaches are eligible for the review, provided that they include individual psychotherapy, alone or in combination with other treatment modules. A random-effect meta-analysis is also performed on a subset of studies to quantify shame change, using within-group effect sizes for each study or study branch (i.e., separate within-group effect sizes are computed in studies comparing two or more treatments, one for each treatment group). Results: Twenty-two quantitative studies are in line with our criteria. Treatment types are heterogenous, with a prevalence of cognitive-behavioral approaches. Nineteen studies (86.36%) report significant shame reductions from pre- to post-treatment. The meta- analysis indicates a significant and moderate reduction (i.e., medium effect-size) in shame across treatments (Standardized Mean Change = .61). Multi-module treatments are associated with slightly higher effect-sizes compared to purely individual ones, while trial duration and assessment of shame do not affect Standardized Mean Change. Discussion: Psychotherapy is effective at producing shame-change. Individual modules and additional interventions may hav

Objective: Evidence suggests that pathological narcissism impacts psychotherapy process and outcome. This study investigates whether traits of pathological narcissism account for distinctiveness (construal) of patients' interpersonal perceptions in treatment settings. Methods: Patients enrolled in psychological/psychotherapeutic treatment (N = 150) described a segment of a session in a written format and subsequently assessed both self- and clinician's behavior on the dimensions of dominance and hostility (patient-reported ratings), along with their pathological narcissistic traits. Three independent raters also assessed interpersonal behaviors (observer-reported ratings) based on the written session descriptions. Indices of construal were defined by the residuals of self-reported (net of observer-reported) ratings and were regressed onto pathological narcissistic traits. Results: No association emerged between pathological narcissism and construal in patients' perceptions of their clinicians. However, grandiose traits of pathological narcissism were related to distinctively perceiving oneself as more dominant, while vulnerable traits were related to distinctively perceiving oneself as more hostile. The former association (but not the latter) also held after incorporating additional observer ratings to investigate the robustness of the results. Conclusion: Findings are discussed in light of treatment-related self-enhancement and self-concealment processes.

Objective: Personality involves both trait and state components, personal goals serving a crucial regulatory function for the expression of personality states. The present study investigates the dynamic interplay between conscientiousness-related goals, conscientious personality states, and trait conscientiousness. Method: A sample of 244 community participants responded to a baseline survey (T1), a 5-times-a-day Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) for 15 days, and a post-EMA survey (T2). Results: Pre-registered multilevel analyses indicated significant contemporaneous positive and negative associations between momentary conscientious and unconscientious goals and state conscientiousness, respectively. Cross-lagged associations also emerged, with goals predicting future states of conscientiousness. A latent growth model was fitted on a subsample of participants (N = 159). Results indicated that change in trait conscientiousness from T1 to T2 was explained by growth in conscientiousness-related goals during the EMA phase, with a mediating effect of growth in state conscientiousness. Conclusions: Overall, the results corroborate the importance of goals for modeling contemporaneous and cross-lagged personality dynamics, both in short and longer timeframes.

Numerous studies have established the importance of body image self-consciousness in predicting sexual distress and dissatisfaction in women. However, there is a dearth of information analyzing whether the same relation applies to men. Sexual perfectionism is a sexual correlate that has shown diverse links with sexual-related outcomes. The aim of the present study was to determine the degree to which certain sexuality-related factors, such as body image self consciousness and sexual perfectionism, and certain personality traits, namely grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits, may be associated with sexual discomfort in men. An online survey including self-report measures of sexual correlates variables and narcissistic personality traits was administered to a sample of 212 men, who provided the data used to investigate these associations. We performed a stepwise regression analysis, including the sexual-specific variables in the first step and vulnerable and grandiose narcissism in the second step. Sexual distress was linked to vulnerable narcissistic features and body image self-consciousness, according to our research. The clinical implications of our findings emphasize the need of evaluating body image concerns and taking personality characteristics into account when addressing sexual difficulties in men.

Pathological narcissism refers to a pathology of self-esteem, with core antagonistic themes. Both in its clinical and subclinical manifestations, pathological narcissism can hinder psychotherapy. Moreover, it is associated with deviations from consensual interpersonal perceptions, both of self and others. In our contribution, we will present an empirical study aimed at investigating whether pathological narcissism accounts for distinctiveness (construal) of patients’ interpersonal perceptions, with a focus on treatment settings. Patients enrolled in psychological/psychotherapeutic treatment (N = 150) were involved in the study and asked to describe a specific segment of a session with their clinician. We then collected both patients’ and independent raters’ assessments of in-session dominance and hostility (interpersonal behavior), to quantify the discrepancy between patients’ and consensual perceptions of interpersonal behavior. Furthermore, we assessed patients’ traits of pathological narcissism, to investigate their role in predicting patient-rater discrepancies in interpersonal perceptions. Contrary to our expectations, pathological narcissism was not related to patient-rater discrepancies in the way clinicians were perceived. However, patients’ grandiose narcissism was related to distinctively perceiving oneself as more dominant, while patients’ vulnerable narcissism to distinctively perceiving oneself as more hostile. The former association (but not the latter) also held after incorporating additional raters’ assessments in post-hoc procedures. Self-enhancement may explain the “excess” of self-dominance in patients’ self-ratings, while covert hostility and self-concealment may account for the link between vulnerable narcissism and construal in self-hostility. Clinicians need to detect these defensive processes for effective treatment of narcissism-related themes.

Objective: Heightened sensitivity to rejection is a feature of personality pathology, particularly of clinical and subclinical manifestations of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Yet, little consideration has been given to the differentiation between the cognitive and affective components of rejection sensitivity, to its trait and state aspects, as well as to its link with narcissistic functioning. Here, we investigate how pathological personality traits (borderline and narcissistic traits) relate to trait rejection sensitivity (expectation of rejection and negative anticipated emotions to rejection) and to experiences of state rejection in daily life, including a focus on the affective reactions to daily rejection. Methods: Community adults completed dispositional measures of rejection sensitivity, BPD traits, and pathological narcissism (grandiose and vulnerable traits). Then, they initiated a one-week Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) data collection and completed measures of perceived social rejection and affective states in an event-contingent design: participants were instructed to fill in the EMA measures whenever they had a face-to-face or online interpersonal interaction with another person lasting at least 5 minutes. The final sample (N = 189, 149 women, mean age = 22.77) evaluated 2,971 interpersonal interactions (1,388 face-to-face), with a mean number of EMA observations per participant of 15.72 (SD = 7.49, range = 5-42). Results of multiple regressions indicated that vulnerable narcissism uniquely predicted anticipated anger and anxiety for rejection, while grandiose narcissism was only negatively associated with anticipatory anxiety for rejection (dispositional rejection sensitivity). As to state rejection, multilevel models indicated that borderline traits uniquely predicted higher experienced rejection in in daily life. Personality traits amplified some specific affective reactions to perceived state rejection: for example, borderline trait

The authors investigate whether and how borderline and pathological narcissistic traits differ in their associations with trait and state rejection sensitivity, and with affective reactions to experiences of social rejection occurring in daily life. Community adults (N = 189) completed baseline measures of rejection sensitivity, borderline personality, and pathological narcissism, and daily measures of perceived social rejection and affective states for 7 days. Vulnerable narcissism was the main driver of negative anticipated emotions for social rejection. Borderline personality made people prone to experiencing social rejection in daily life. Moreover, borderline personality traits predicted greater self-directed aggressive impulses when experiencing social rejection. Grandiose narcissism showed only a negative association with anticipatory anxiety for rejection. These findings highlight that sensitivity to social rejection is crucial in both borderline personality and pathological narcissism.

Dysfunctional eating attitudes and behaviors are very common among women. Recent findings suggest that these attitudes are linked to traits of pathological narcissism. However, mechanisms underlying this association need to be elucidated. We investigated the relationship between traits of pathological narcissism and dysfunctional eating attitudes and behaviors in women, testing whether perfectionistic tendencies mediate this association. The study involved a community-based sample of women (N = 306) who completed measures of grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits, attitudes of perfectionistic discrepancy and perfectionistic self-presentation, and dysfunctional eating attitudes and behaviors. Results show that vulnerable narcissistic traits are linked to dysfunctional eating attitudes and behaviors. Moreover, discrepancy between the actual self and the ideal self partially explains why women high in vulnerable narcissism engage in dysfunctional eating attitudes and behaviors. Grandiose narcissism was not uniquely associated with dysfunctional eating. The study suggests that the narcissistic need for being perfect, but not the narcissistic need for presenting oneself as perfect to others, promotes dysfunctional eating attitudes and behaviors in women.

The PFQ-2 is a brief and widely used questionnaire assessing shame- and maladaptive guilt-proneness. As empirical literature suggests cultural differences in self-conscious emotions, the present study aimed at validating the PFQ-2 in an Italian community sample (N = 367; 258 females; M age = 33.67). In particular, we investigated the factor structure of the PFQ-2, its invariance across genders, and associations of the two scales with clinically relevant constructs. Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed that a modified two-factor model fitted our data and could be replicated fairly well across genders. Both guilt- and shame-proneness scales showed acceptable internal consistency, adequate test-retest reliability, and significant associations with criterion measures (e.g., personality pathology, narcissism, psychopathological symptoms). Specific concerns regarding potentially weak items and implications of our findings were discussed. Overall, results mirror previous studies on shame- and guilt-proneness, and provide a validated Italian version of the PFQ-2 for the assessment of their clinical correlates in community samples.

BACKGROUND: Medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) are physical symptoms without a medical explanation. The study provided for the collection of data from hospitalized patients presenting MUPS, aiming to draw a clinical and sociodemographic profile of patients with somatic symptoms disorder (SSD), and to estimate economic costs related to hospital management. METHODS: This observational retrospective study consisted in the evaluation of data referring to all hospitalized patients admitted between 2008 and 2018 in the wards of a teaching hospital in Northern Italy. RESULTS : A total of 273 patients presenting with MUPS have been hospitalized. The sample showed a prevalence of female, married, and workers patients. The most frequent ward involved is neurology, followed by internal medicine and Short Stay Unit. The most common symptoms found are headache, pain, syncope and vertigo. No evidence that having a medical disease predict the developing of somatic symptoms disorder emerged. A personality disorder diagnosis in patients with MUPS was associated with increased probability of having a diagnosis of SSD. A marginally significant positive association also emerged with anxiety disorders, but not with depressive disorder. The overall estimated cost of hospitalization for MUPS is € 475,409.73. C ONCLUSIONS : Further investigations are needed to extend the study on other clinical areas and to clarify the correlates.

Background: Individuals with narcissistic traits, specifically vulnerable ones, are more prone to experiencing concerns related to self-worth and physical appearance and to showing heightened sensitivity to appearance evaluation. Negative body image and body image self-consciousness may, in turn, undermine sexual functioning, especially when apprehension is related to body appearance in sexual contexts. Methods: We aimed to evaluate the associations between self-reported pathological narcissistic traits, both grandiose and vulnerable, and sexual functioning in a large sample of nonclinical women (N = 656). Furthermore, we tested the mediating role of body image self-consciousness in these associations. Outcomes: Sexual functioning was measured through the Female Sexual Function Index. Results: The results highlight that vulnerable narcissistic traits are associated with lower sexual functioning, this association being mediated by higher levels of body image self-consciousness. Conversely, grandiose narcissistic traits are linked to lower body image self-consciousness and, consequently, higher levels of sexual functioning. Clinical Implications: Considering the link between body image self-consciousness and sexuality is of utmost importance in clinical practice with women, as well as in promoting positive body appreciation. Clinicians working with individuals presenting with pathological personality traits should consider including an assessment of their sexual functioning. S Pavanello Decaro, M Di Sarno, A Anzani, et al. Narcissistic Personality Traits and Sexual Dysfunction in Women: The Role of Body Image Self-Consciousness. J Sex Med 2021;18:1891–1898.

This work investigates the relationship between goals and mitigation behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. Study 1 (pilot) identified goals ascribed to following and violating mitigation-related indications. Study 2 investigated the structure of and link between COVID-related goals and behaviors in a large community sample (N = 995, 301 men). Our results showed substantial relationships between goals and behaviors. Goals were best described by a bi-dimensional structure (being safe vs. being free), whereas behaviors clustered into a three-component structure (hygiene, distancing, going out). Hierarchical multiple regressions demonstrated the incremental validity of goals in the prediction of behaviors. Network analysis suggested that goals imbued with social content were more directly related to both risky and preventive behaviors. Motivational aspects emerged as important contributors to the organization of behaviors in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research on pathological narcissistic traits and sexuality are mainly focused on the dysfunctional aspects of sexuality. The present study aims to explore the relationship between narcissistic traits and sexual satisfaction in men, testing whether sexual self-esteem mediates this association. Participants included 212 men who completed measures of grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits, sexual self-esteem, and sexual satisfaction. Results highlight how vulnerable narcissistic traits are negatively associated with sexual satisfaction. This association is fully mediated by sexual self-esteem. On the contrary, grandiose narcissistic traits are not directly associated with sexual satisfaction, but with sexual self-esteem only, which explains the indirect effect of grandiose traits on sexual satisfaction. In conclusion, sexual self-esteem in personality configurations with high pathological narcissistic traits accounts for the relationship between narcissistic traits and sexual satisfaction.

Background: Due to the high pressure they sustain, family members of substance users are thought to experience negative consequences in mental and physical health. This scoping review provided a comprehensive overview on the mental and physical health of adult Affected Family Members (AFMs). Method: We searched in-journal English articles in PubMed, with no date limit, guided by the concepts of stress, strain, and burden, and including several terms related to substance use. Eligibility criteria included focus on adult AFMs, mental and physical health, and clinical forms of substance use. Results: PubMed search identified 3549 articles, with 46 additional papers from other sources. Fifty-six articles were included, quantitative (N = 39), qualitative (N = 15) and both (N = 2). Quantitative findings show that AFMs are subject to increased stress and burden, and impaired mental health. Variable rates of physical problems emerge, with some medical conditions being more common among AFMs of substance users versus controls. Finally, evidence shows increased risk for aggression and reduced quality of life and social adjustment. AFMs report higher stress and strain if they are women, in low socio-economic families, and co-habiting with more severe substance users. Qualitative studies additionally suggest that stigma, self-blame, and social isolation are common. Conclusions: AFMs of substance users represent a population at higher risk for negative health-related outcomes and should be systematically regarded as targets for treatment.

This study investigated the association between narcissism and shame, considering different measures of narcissism, different levels of analysis, and different situational conditions. Nonclinical participants (N = 196) completed baseline measures, followed by daily questionnaires for 28 days. Multilevel models indicated that trait and daily vulnerable narcissism, as well as trait neuroticism, were positively associated with daily shame. When controlling for vulnerable narcissism, trait grandiose narcissism was unrelated to shame, and daily grandiose narcissism was mostly negatively related to it. As for situations, social stress and workload were related to increased shame, especially in those high in trait neuroticism, or narcissism scales with neurotic content. Results highlight the key role of shame in pathological narcissistic functioning.

Le teorie psicodinamiche ed i modelli auto-regolatori del narcisismo suggeriscono che la vergogna sia un affetto chiave delle patologie narcisistiche. In effetti, le recenti concettualizzazioni del narcisismo patologico includono sia temi grandiosi che temi vulnerabili, entro una comune disfunzione nella regolazione dell’autostima, e nell’ambito di modalità interpersonali antagonistiche. I presenti lavori si propongono di studiare la relazione tra i tratti di narcisismo patologico e la vergogna in campioni non clinici. In aggiunta a studi precedenti, questi studi considerano il narcisismo da molteplici punti di vista, basandosi su differenti operazionalizzazioni del costrutto. Inoltre, gli studi si focalizzano sia su misure di tratto di narcisismo e vergogna, che su valutazioni di stato degli stessi costrutti. Lo Studio 1 presenta dati trasversali da un campione non clinico (N = 367; Metà = 33.67) per la validazione della versione italiana del Personal Feelings Questionnaire-2 (PFQ-2), una misura di predisposizione alla colpa e alla vergogna maladattive. L’analisi fattoriale confermativa mostra che un modello modificato a due fattori si adatta ai dati e può esser replicato con sufficiente solidità tra uomini e donne. Predisposizione alla colpa e alla vergogna mostrano associazioni coerenti con una serie di misure criterio, mentre sono discusse alcune problematiche relative ad item potenzialmente deboli. In generale, i risultati confermano una distinzione tra vergogna e colpa e supportano la validità del PFQ-2. Lo Studio 2 presenta ulteriori analisi effettuate sui dati già elaborati nello studio precedente. Sono riportate le associazioni trasversali tra il narcisismo patologico (grandioso e vulnerabile) e la predisposizione alla vergogna, basandosi su diverse operazionalizzazioni del costrutto di narcisismo patologico. I risultati mostrano che il narcisismo grandioso di tratto è associato ad una ridotta predisposizione alla vergogna, mentre il narcisismo vulne, Attending to both psychodynamic models and self-regulatory models of narcissism, shame is a core affect of narcissistic pathologies. Indeed, recent conceptualizations of pathological narcissim encompass both grandiose and vulnerable themes under a core dysfunction of self-esteem regulation and interpersonal antagonism. The present works aim at investigating the relationship between pathological narcissistic traits and shame in community samples. In addition to previous studies, the current works consider narcissism from multiple perspectives, relying on different operationalizations of the construct. Also, they focus both on dispositional measures of narcissism and shame, as well as state assessments of the constructs. Study 1 presents cross-sectional data from a community sample (N = 367; Mage = 33.67) for the validation of the Italian version of the Personal Feelings Questionnaire-2 (PFQ-2), a measure of maladaptive shame- and guilt-proneness. Confirmatory Factor Analysis shows that a modified two-factor model fits data and can be replicated fairly well across genders. Both guilt- and shame-proneness show sensible associations with criterion measures, whereas concerns regarding potentially weak items are also discussed. Findings globally corroborate a distinction between shame and guilt and support the validity of the PFQ-2. Study 2 presents additional analyses performed on data from the first study. Associations between pathological narcissism (grandiose and vulnerable) and shame-proneness are investigated at the cross-sectional level, adopting different operationalizations of the construct of pathological narcissism. Results show that trait grandiose narcissism is associated with reduced shame-proneness, whereas trait vulnerable narcissism with heightened shame-proneness. Facet-level analyses show a more nuanced pattern of associations, where power-related aspects and hostile tendencies are associated with reduced shame-proneness, whereas need for admiration, lo

Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms (MUPS) are physical symptoms without a medical explanation. This study collected data from hospitalized patients presenting MUPS, aiming to draw a clinical and socio-demographic profile of patients with MUPS, to explore psychopathological correlations of Somatic Symptoms Disorder (SSD) diagnosis, and to estimate economic costs related to hospital management for MUPS. The cross-sectional study consisted in the evaluation of data referring to hospitalized patients admitted between 2008 and 2018 in a teaching hospital in Northern Italy. A total of 273 patients presenting MUPS have been hospitalized. The sample showed a prevalence of female, married and employed patients. The most frequent wards involved are Neurology, Internal Medicine and Short Unit Stay. The most common symptoms found are headache, pain, syncope and vertigo. There is no evidence that a history of medical disease is associated with a diagnosis of SSD. A personality disorder diagnosis in patients with MUPS was associated with increased probability of having a diagnosis of SSD. A marginally significant positive association emerged with anxiety disorders, but not with depressive disorder. The overall estimated cost of hospitalization for patients with MUPS is 475'409.73 €. The study provides the investigation of a large number of patients with MUPS and a financial estimate of related hospitalization costs.

Objective: Psychoanalytic theories describe narcissists as characterized by a grandiose self, but underlying feelings of shame. However, empirical findings show inconsistent associations between narcissism and shame, also because most studies focused mainly on grandiose overt narcissism, neglecting vulnerable narcissism. Shame experiences usually result from a stable negative evaluation of the self, which has shown to be often associated with vulnerable but not with grandiose narcissism. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between both grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits with shame feelings. In particular, we tested whether explicit agentic and communal self-views might explain such relationship. Methods: A community sample of adults (N = 367, Mage = 33.67, SD = 13.62) completed the Personal Feelings Questionnaire-2 for the assessment of shame-proneness, the Five-Factor Nacisssism Inventory – Short Form for the assessment of grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits, and an adjective-based measure of explicit self-view in both agentic and communal domains, adapted from Campbell, Bosson, Goheen, Lakey, & Kernis (2007). A mediation model was conducted to test whether narcissistic traits were associated with shame-proneness, and whether self-views in agentic and communal domains mediated this association. Analyses were run controlling for gender and guilt-proneness. Results: Results showed that vulnerable narcissistic traits were positively related to shame-proneness, and negatively related to both agentic and communal self-views. Moreover, the relationship between vulnerable narcissistic traits and shame-proneness was partially mediated by agentic self-view, but not by communal self-view. The higher vulnerable narcissism the less agentic self-view, and the less agentic self-view the higher shame proneness. Finally, grandiose narcissistic traits showed to be positively associated with agentic self-view, and no significant associa

Even if shame has been conceptualized as a clinically relevant affect for narcissistic functioning, empirical associations with narcissism are inconsistent thoroughout research. This may be due to the tendency to assess narcissism in terms of overt and grandiose themes only. Moreover, shame is usually associated with guilt, but the role of guilt in narcissism is not equally emphasized by clinicians. A nonclinical sample of adults (N = 367, Mage = 33.67, SD = 13.62) completed the Personal Feelings Questionnaire-2 for the assessment of shame- and guilt-proneness, and the Pathological Narcissism Inventory for the assessment of both narcisssistic grandiosity and narcissistic vulnerability. Two multiple linear regressions were conducted to evaluate the associations between narcissistic traits and shame- and guilt-proneness. Analyses were conducted controlling for gender, and for guilt- and shame-proneness respectively. Results showed that while narcissistic grandiosity was negatively associated with shame-proneness, narcissistic vulnerability was positively associated with it. On the other hand, no association emerged between vulnerable or grandiose narcissism with guilt-proneness, after controlling for shame-proneness. Shame-proneness seems to be more relevant than guilt-proneness for narcissistic functioning. Moreover, individuals high in narcissistic grandiosity may be less likely to consciously experience and report feelings of shame.

Objective: Research globally supports the association between narcissism and externalizing problems, such as aggression, whereas the connection between narcissism and internalizing problems, such as depression or anxiety, is more controversial. Studies have been predominantly conducted on adult samples. Moreover, they usually neglected the vulnerable manifestations of narcissism, concentrating on grandiose overt aspects. The aim of the present study is to investigate the association of grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits with internalizing and externalizing problems in a sample of adolescents, considering gender as a potential moderator. Method: A sample of 635 youths (208 males; Mage = 15.81, SD = 1.31, age range = 13-19) completed the Pathological Narcissism Inventory for the assessment of narcissistic grandiosity and vulnerability, and the Youth Self-Report for the assessment of internalizing and externalizing problems. Analyses were conducted to investigate the association between narcissistic grandiosity and both internalizing and externalizing problems respectively, testing the moderating role of gender, and controlling for narcissistic vulnerability. Results: Gender was associated with both internalizing and externalizing problems, with males displaying more externalizing features and females more internalizing ones. Grandiose narcissism was negatively associated with internalizing problems, and unrelated to externalizing. However, a marginally significant interaction with gender emerged in predicting externalizing tendencies, indicating that grandiose traits were positively associated with externalization in females, but not in males. Vulnerable narcissism was positively associated with both internalizing and externalizing problems. Conclusions: Vulnerable narcissistic traits are associated with increased problems, both internalizing and externalizing. Moreover, an effect of grandiose narcissism on externalization is only detectable when differentia

During the last decades, empirical interest in narcissism has steeply increased, leading to controversial findings. Its investigation has been conducted predominantly with self-report measures, which could distort empirical findings on narcissism and its correlates due to narcissists’ need to maintain a positive and inflated self-view. In the present work, we summarize studies that use alternative research designs for the investigation of narcissism. First, we briefly describe studies examining psychophysiological correlates of narcissistic phenomena, such as hostility, empathic dysfunctions, and stress sensitivity. Then, we review current literature on the investigation of narcissism in a neuroscientific perspective, both in clinical and non clinical samples. Because studies in this field are very recent, we focus on those brain regions whose involvement in narcissistic functioning has received by now the strongest empirical support. In particular, we underline the role of the anterior insula and of the pre-frontal regions, discussing their implications in narcissistic dysfunctions, such as empathy deficits, emotion dysregulation, heightened sensitivity to rejection, and self-enhancing tendencies. Rather than considering brain activity as the cause of narcissism, our aim is to highlight the importance of personality neuroscience for the development of a more complete view over narcissism, due to the ability of brain research to dig into the emotional and cognitive mechanisms underlying personality functioning

Purpose: Although there is growing interest in trans-negative attitudes and behaviors, few studies have investigated the psychological variables associated with them. The present study aims to assess the relationship between psychopathological symptoms, defensive style, personality traits and negative attitudes toward transgender people. Methods: Participants (N = 165) were asked to complete several questionnaires assessing their psychopathological symptoms (SCL-90-R), defensive style (REM-71), maladaptive personality traits (PID-5-BF), antitransgender attitudes (ATTI), and sociodemographic characteristics. A four-step hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was carried out to investigate the predictive role of such variables on antitransgender attitudes. Results: We found a significant negative effect of mature defenses and a positive effect of antagonistic traits on trans-negative attitudes. Political and religious beliefs predicted trans-negative attitudes, whereas no effect was found for the other predictors. We also found a significant effect of age and an interaction effect between sexual orientation and gender, with heterosexual men showing higher levels of trans-negativity than non-heterosexual men. Conclusions: The study highlights the importance of both personality and social constructs in predisposing to negative attitudes toward transgender people. Future research should therefore take into account both personality and social variables