An examination of the factor structure of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, narcissistic personality disorder criteria: one or two factors?
Open accessAbstract
A growing body of research has suggested that narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) contains 2 factors or types: overt/grandiose and covert/vulnerable. A recent factor analysis of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), NPD symptoms supported a similar 2-factor model. The present research tested this proposed 2-factor solution against a 1-factor solution (N = 289; 72% patients) using both confirmatory factor analysis and an examination of associations between the resultant factors and theoretically relevant criteria (other personality disorders; depression, anxiety). The results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported a 1-factor solution. Likewise, the 2 factors each yielded a similar pattern of correlations with relevant criteria. Together, these results argue against a 2-factor structure for the current DSM-IV NPD symptoms. Given the broader research literature suggesting a 2-factor structure of narcissism, strategies for assessing both overt/grandiose and covert/vulnerable forms of narcissism in DSM-V are discussed.
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- Authors
- Miller, J. D., Hoffman, B. J., Campbell, W. K., & Pilkonis, P. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Georgia (US)
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Miller, Joshua D.
- Venue
- Comprehensive Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2008-03
- Volume
- 49
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 141-145
- ISSN
- 0010-440X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2277465
- OpenAlex
- W2145543432
- Cited by
- 74
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 4.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Comprehensive Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH56888, R01MH056888)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
- Keywords
- narcissistic personality disorder, factor structure, DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, DSM-V, personality disorders, depression, anxiety, personality disorder assessment
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Narcissism, Personality Disorders, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
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