Cited by 93Personality Traits and PsychologyPersonality Disorders and PsychopathologyPsychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research

Subtypes, Dimensions, Levels, and Mental States in Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Levy, Kenneth N.·2012·Journal of Clinical Psychology

Abstract

Various conceptualizations of subtypes, levels, and dimensions of narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) are considered with a particular focus on overt grandiose presentations and covert vulnerable presentations. Evidence supporting this distinction and clinical vignettes to illustrate it are presented as well as their implications for clinical work with NPD patients. The research and clinical evidence points to the conclusion that these broad categorical subtypes are better conceptualized as dimensions on which individual patients vary on relative levels, thus suggesting that grandiose and vulnerable presentations represent two sides of the same coin. A case example and clinical implications are provided and discussed.

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Crossref · 10.1002/jclp.21893

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  • Grandiose and vulnerable functioning are linked, reflecting a common core of impairment, and perhaps best viewed as reflecting two sides of the same coin.

    “In this way, grandiose and vulnerable functioning are linked, reflecting a common core of impairment, and perhaps best viewed as reflecting two sides of the same coin [53].”
  • These results support the notion that an individual's narcissism presentation may fluctuate over time and that vulnerable and grandiose presentations are inter-related and oscillating.

    “As such, these results support the notion that an individual’s narcissism presentation may fluctuate over time [20, 21] and that vulnerable and grandiose presentations are inter-related and oscillating [9, 19].”

    From Living with pathological narcissism: a qualitative study (2020) · cites this paper as [9]

  • Grandiose and vulnerable narcissism may reflect both sides of a narcissistic 'coin' that may be regularly oscillating, inter-related and state dependent.

    “While the differences in presentation between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism appear manifest, it has been argued that they reflect both sides of a narcissistic ‘coin’ [9] that may be regularly oscillating, inter-related and state dependent [6, 18–22].”

    From Living with pathological narcissism: a qualitative study (2020) · cites this paper as [9]

  • Vulnerable narcissism includes depressed mood, insecurity, hypersensitivity, shame and identification with victimhood.

    “Vulnerable narcissism, in marked contrast to the overt grandiose features listed in DSM-5 criteria, includes instances of depressed mood, insecurity, hypersensitivity, shame and identification with victimhood [8–12].”

    From Living with pathological narcissism: a qualitative study (2020) · cites this paper as [9]

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Authors
Levy, K. N.
Affiliations
Pennsylvania State University (US)
Corresponding author
Levy, Kenneth N.
Venue
Journal of Clinical Psychology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2012-06-27
Volume
68
Issue
8
Pages
886-897
ISSN
  • 0021-9762 (ISSN-L)
  • 1097-4679
OpenAlex
W1552600949
Cited by
93
References
14
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 1
FWCI
5.08
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Clinical Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
Keywords
narcissism, narcissistic personality disorder, grandiose narcissism, vulnerable narcissism, subtypes, dimensions, clinical vignettes, clinical implications
MeSH terms
Adult, Female, Humans, Narcissism, Personality Disorders, Psychotherapy, Treatment Outcome, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

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