Parenting Narcissus: What Are the Links Between Parenting and Narcissism?
Abstract
Previous theorizing by clinical psychologists suggests that adolescent narcissism may be related to parenting practices (Kernberg, 1975; Kohut, 1977). Two studies investigated the relations between parenting dimensions (i.e., warmth, monitoring, and psychological control) and narcissism both with and without removing from narcissism variance associated with trait self-esteem. Two hundred and twenty-two college students (Study 1) and 212 high school students (Study 2) completed the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, a trait self-esteem scale, and standard measures of the three parenting dimensions. Parental warmth was associated positively and monitoring was associated negatively with both types of narcissism. Psychological control was positively associated with narcissism scores from which trait self-esteem variance had been removed. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed, limitations are addressed, and future research directions are suggested.
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Grandiose narcissism generally manifests null to very small relations with developmental events and parenting, with some small and inconsistent relations with lower parental monitoring, higher warmth, and overvaluation.
“Grandiose narcissism generally manifests null to very small relations with developmental events and parenting (e.g., Horton & Tritch 2014, Miller et al. 2010a), although there are some small and inconsistent relations with lower parental monitoring (e.g., Horton et al. 2006), higher warmth (Horton et al. 2006), and overvaluation (e.g., Otway & Vignoles 2006).”
From Controversies in Narcissism (2017) · cites this paper as Horton et al. 2006
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- Authors
- Horton, R. S., Bleau, G., & Drwecki, B.
- Affiliations
- Wabash College (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Personality
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2006-01-18
- Volume
- 74
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 345-376
- ISSN
- 0022-3506 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-6494
- OpenAlex
- W2146866507
- Cited by
- 200
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 6.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ePublications at Regis University (Regis University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- narcissism, parenting practices, parental warmth, parental supervision, psychological control, trait self-esteem, Narcissistic Personality Inventory, university students, high school students
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Adult, Female, Humans, Internal-External Control, Male, Narcissism, Parent-Child Relations, Personality Development, Personality Disorders, Personality Inventory, Surveys and Questionnaires, Self Concept, Parenting
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