Daily diary ratings of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism: A cluster analysis

Introduction: Pathological narcissism (PN) entails both grandiose (GN) and vulnerable narcissism (VN). These can be studied both at the variable-level – focusing on the constructs, such as on their covariation – and at the person-level, focusing on subjects and grouping individuals on the basis of their similarities and differences in grandiose and vulnerable manifestations. While there is emerging agreement on the defining features of GN and VN at the variable-level, controversies still exist when looking at the person level. For instance, there is no definitive understanding of the nature of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism as subtypes or rather as fluctuating/coexisting dimensions. Methods: In this work, we perform a cluster analysis on the joint trajectory of daily ratings of grandiose (GN) and vulnerable narcissism (GN), collected during a 28-day experience sampling study (N = 196 participants). Results: We use multiple criteria to find the best partition, which identifies three discrete clusters of individuals: a “low PN” cluster with below-average levels of both grandiose and vulnerable daily manifestations; a “high VN” cluster, displaying average daily GN and above-average levels of daily VN; a “high GN” cluster, with above-average levels of daily GN but below-average levels of daily VN. The three clusters differ on several trait measures of maladaptive narcissism, as well as on measures of trait self-esteem and shame. Non-significant or less sharp inter-group differences emerge regarding impairment in personality organization and stability/variability of daily narcissism. Discussion: We conclude that the constructs of daily GN and VN define corresponding groups of individuals with either high GN or VN, the latter group being more emotionally distressed. Yet, this group also shows at least some levels of trait and state GN. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that applies person-centered analyses to longitudinally assessed manifestations of narcissism.