Grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits: Preliminary results on their association with functions of Non-Suicidal Self-injury

Objective: Preliminary evidence (Dawood et al., 2017) suggests that narcissism is related to lifetime presence of Non-Suicidal Self-injury (NSSI). Nevertheless, no study has investigated the relationship between narcissistic traits and functions of NSSI, although understanding functions may be relevant to better predict frequency and maintenance of NSSI. The aim of the present study was to test whether and how narcissistic traits were associated with functions of NSSI, controlling for borderline traits. Methods: The study involved 297 Italian nonclinical adult participants, with a mean age of 26.93 (SD = 9.11; range = 18 – 60). Hierarchical multiple linear regressions were conducted to evaluate the association of narcissistic traits with intrapersonal and interpersonal functions of NSSI among self-injurers (N=102). Results: Results showed that facets of narcissistic vulnerability, but not of narcissistic grandiosity, were associated with intrapersonal functions of NSSI, including reasons such as reducing aversing internal states or punishing the self. In particular, vulnerable narcissistic traits of entitlement rage were negatively related to the engagement of NSSI for intrapersonal purposes. On the other hand, vulnerable narcissistic traits of contingent self-esteem were positively associated with intrapersonal functions of NSSI. Finally, interpersonal functions of NSSI, which include reasons such as seeking help or gaining attention from others, were not significantly associated with narcissistic traits. Conclusions: The present study suggests that clinicians and researchers need to go beyond the effect of borderline traits when studying and treating NSSI, focusing attention also on narcissistic traits.