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Cited by 240Personality Traits and PsychologyPersonality Disorders and PsychopathologyHistory, Medicine, and Leadership

Vulnerable Narcissism Is (Mostly) a Disorder of Neuroticism

Miller, Joshua D., Lynam, Donald R., Vize, Colin, Crowe, Michael, Sleep, Chelsea, Maples‐Keller, Jessica L., Few, Lauren R., Campbell, W. Keith·2018·Journal of Personality
DOI 10.1111/jopy.12303
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Abstract

Objective: Increasing attention has been paid to the distinction between the dimensions of narcissistic grandiosity and vulnerability. We examine the degree to which basic traits underlie vulnerable narcissism, with a particular emphasis on the importance of Neuroticism and Agreeableness. Method: Across four samples (undergraduate, online community, clinical‐community), we conduct dominance analyses to partition the variance predicted in vulnerable narcissism by the Five‐Factor Model personality domains, as well as compare the empirical profiles generated by vulnerable narcissism and Neuroticism. Results: These analyses demonstrate that the lion's share of variance is explained by Neuroticism (65%) and Agreeableness (19%). Similarity analyses were also conducted in which the extent to which vulnerable narcissism and Neuroticism share similar empirical networks was tested using an array of criteria, including self‐, informant, and thin slice ratings of personality; interview‐based ratings of personality disorder and pathological traits; and self‐ratings of adverse events and functional outcomes. The empirical correlates of vulnerable narcissism and Neuroticism were nearly identical (Mr ICC = .94). Partial analyses demonstrated that the variance in vulnerable narcissism not shared with Neuroticism is largely specific to disagreeableness‐related traits such as distrustfulness and grandiosity. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the parsimony of using basic personality to study personality pathology and have implications for how vulnerable narcissism might be approached clinically.

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  • These aspects of narcissism have also been documented within published literature.

    “These aspects of narcissism have also been documented within published literature [12, 27, 53, 54].”

    From Living with pathological narcissism: a qualitative study (2020) · cites this paper as [54]

  • The most prototypical broadband personality trait associated with vulnerable narcissism is neuroticism, followed by low agreeableness and low extraversion.

    “The most prototypical broadband personality trait associated with vulnerable narcissism is neuroticism, followed by low agreeableness and low extraversion (Maciantowicz & Zajenkowski, 2020a;Miller et al., 2018).”

    From Narcissus locked in the past: vulnerable narcissism and the negative views of the past. (2021) · cites this paper as Miller et al., 2018

  • Vulnerable narcissism and negative view of the past highly overlap with neuroticism.

    “Lastly, it needs to be acknowledged that both our main variables, vulnerable narcissism, and negative view of the past have been found to highly overlap with neuroticism (Kairys & Liniauskaite, 2015;Miller et al., 2018).”

    From Narcissus locked in the past: vulnerable narcissism and the negative views of the past. (2021) · cites this paper as Miller et al., 2018

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Authors
Miller, J. D., Lynam, D. R., Vize, C., Crowe, M., Sleep, C., Maples‐Keller, J. L., Few, L. R., & Campbell, W. K.
Affiliations
  • University of Georgia (US)
  • Purdue University West Lafayette (US)
Corresponding author
Miller, Joshua D.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Personality
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2017-03-20
Volume
86
Issue
2
Pages
186-199
ISSN
  • 0022-3506 (ISSN-L)
  • 1467-6494
DOI
10.1111/jopy.12303
OpenAlex
W2586571517
Semantic Scholar
0f531b2affb465d9c35fa673540162c59ab011a2
Cited by
240
References
77
Citations by year
2026: 21 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 43 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 4
FWCI
27.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Journal of Personality (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › History, Medicine, and Leadership
Keywords
vulnerable narcissism, narcissistic grandiosity, neuroticism, agreeableness, Big Five personality traits, personality pathology, personality traits, personality disorders, life events, functional outcome
MeSH terms
Neuroticism, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aggression, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Narcissism, Personality, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Surveys and Questionnaires, Students, Universities, Young Adult

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