Narcissistic Personality Disorder has no single known cause but is influenced by multiple risk factors. Childhood experiences like insecure attachment styles, neglectful or unequal parenting, abuse and loss increase the risk. Genetics and innate personality traits may also contribute to risk. More research is still needed to better understand the roles of genetics and personality as well as develop more effective treatment options for this difficult to treat condition.

1. Narcissistic Personality Disorder: What’s To Blame? Rebecca Brandt Argosy University

2. Outline Overview of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) Contributing Risk Factors Childhood Attachment Style Parenting Styles Environmental and Family Individual Risk Factors Genetic and Inborn Personality Traits Future Research Conclusion References

3. Overview of NPD Cluster B Personality Disorder Pervasive pattern of grandiosity Need for admiration Lack of empathy Sense of entitlement Exact cause is unknown Very difficult to treat

4. Contributing Risk Factors: Childhood Attachment Style Research shows insecure attachments is a risk factor The more negative the attachment, the more serious the symptoms (Ling & Qian, 2010). Personality disorder patients have a higher likelihood of having an insecure attachment than secure (Brennan and Shaver 1998). NPD is one of three personality disorders most associated with dimensions of insecure attachment (Lyddon & Sherry, 2001).

5. Contributing Risk Factors: Parenting Styles Research has shown the risks of parenting styles The case study of an 8-year-old girl that was developing narcissistic characteristics showed parental neglect as the cause (Hamilton, Fowler, Hersh, Austin, Finn, Tharinger, Parton, Stahl, & Arora, 2009). Unequal parental treatment and parental favoritism increased risk (Finzi-Dottan & Cohen, 2011). Parental pampering, mainly overindulgence, correlates with narcissistic characteristics (Capron, 2004).

6. Contributing Risk Factors: Environmental and Family Research has shown various environmental, family, and individual risk factors Early childhood experiences play a huge role (Cohen, 1996). Major loss and major abuse are the two strongest risk factors (Laporte & Guttman, 1996).

7. Contributing Risk Factors: Individual Research has linked several individual factors to NPD Oldest born children are more likely to develop than younger siblings (Finzi-Dottan & Cohen, 2011). Occurs more frequently in males (Maniacci, 2007).

8. Possible Risk Factors: Genetic and Inborn Personality Traits The involvement of genetics, inborn personality traits, and neurological factors have all been questioned (Kluger & Song, 2003).

9. Future Research Previous research has shown many different risk factors. Future research needs to focus on furthering what is already known and developing a more in-depth understanding of the role that genetics and personality traits plays, as well.

10. Conclusions The definite cause of NPD is unknown and it is very difficult to treat. There are a multitude of possible risk factors associated with NPD. More research is needed.

11. References Brennan, K. A., & Shaver, P. R. (1998). Attachment styles and personality disorders: Their connection to each other and to parental divorce, parental death, and perceptions of parental caregiving. Journal of Personality, 66(5), 835-878. Retrieved May 13, 2011 from the EbscoHOST database. Butcher, J. N., Mineka, S., & Hooley, J. M. (2010). Abnormal psychology (14 th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. Capron, E. W. (2004). Types of pampering and the narcissistic personality trait. Journal of Individual Psychology, 60(1), 76-93. Retrieved May 13, 2011 from the EbscoHOST database. Cohen, P. (1996). Childhood risks for young adult symptoms of personality disorder: Method and substance. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 31(1), 121-148. Retrieved May 13, 2011 from the EbscoHOST database. Feist, J., & Feist, G. J. (2009). Theories of personality (7 th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Finzi-Dottan, R., & Cohen, O. (2011). Young adult sibling relations: The effects of perceived parental favoritism and narcissism. Journal of Psychology, 145(1), 1-22.

12. Hamilton, A. M., Fowler, J. L., Hersh, B., Austin, C. A., Finn, S. E., Tharinger, D. J., Parton, V., Stahl, K., & Arora, P. (2009). “Why won’t my parents help me?”: Therapeutic assessment of a child and her family. Journal of Personality Assessment, 91(2), 108- 120. Kluger, J., & Song, S. (2003). Masters of denial. Time, 161(3), 84-87. Retrieved May 13, 2011 from the EbscoHOST database. Laporte, L., & Guttman, H. (1996). Traumatic childhood experiences as risk factors for borderline and other personality disorders. Journal of Personality Disorders, 10(3), 247-259. Ling, H., & Qian, M. (2010). Relationships between attachment and personality disorder symptoms of Chinese college students. Social Behavior and Personality, 38(4), 571-576. Lyddon, W. J., & Sherry, A. (2001). Developmental personality style: An attachment theory conceptualization of personality disorders. Journal of Counseling & Development, 79(4), 405-415. Retrieved May 13, 2011 from the EbscoHOST database. Maniacci, M. P. (2007). His majesty the baby: Narcissism through the lens of individual psychology. Journal of Individual Psychology, 63(2), 136- 145. Retrieved May 13, 2011 from the EbscoHOST database.