Clarifying the Association Between Narcissistic and Psychopathic Personality in Offenders: Evidence for Descriptive Variants

Abstract

The nature of the association between narcissistic and psychopathic traits and disorders is an important issue that has received relatively little academic attention. Two competing hypotheses currently prevail and were evaluated in this thesis: psychopathy is a severe variant of narcissistic personality disorder (all psychopaths are narcissists) versus only a subset of psychopaths are distinguished by overt and pronounced features of narcissistic personality disorder (some, but not all, psychopaths are narcissists). Four empirical studies were conducted with male forensic patients or offenders.

Study One (N = 272 forensic patients) found a small dimensional association between the MCMI-III narcissism and PCL-R Total and Factor 1A (i.e., grandiose interpersonal traits) scores but no significant categorical association between high psychopathy (PCL-R Total ≥ 27) and high narcissism (MCMI-III NPD ≥ 75). High narcissism occurring without high psychopathy (NPD-only) was distinguished from high narcissism occurring with psychopathy (NPD/PPD) by the presence and severity of anxiety but not mood disturbance.

Study Two (n = 72) examined a descriptive typology of psychopathy in the subgroup of patients with high psychopathy (PCL-R Total ≥ 27) from Study One. Cluster analysis of selected MCMI-III scales produced a stable and interpretable three-group solution that significantly differed in degree of narcissistic traits, affective disturbance, alienation and suspiciousness, and overt aggressiveness and antisociality. The findings strongly suggested that high psychopathy presented with classic narcissistic features in at least one variant and without classic narcissistic features in another variant.

Study Three sought to replicate the major findings of Study One and Two (N = 299 child sexual offenders). Contrary to expectation, a negative association between the MCMI-III narcissism and PCL-R Total scores was found that included no overlap between the presence of high narcissism (MCMI-III ≥ 75; n = 23) and high psychopathy (PCL-R Total ≥ 25; n = 17). The group with high narcissism resembled the high narcissism only group described in Study One, while the group with high psychopathy resembled the non-narcissistic variant of psychopathy described in Study Two. The findings supported that psychopathy can present without pronounced narcissism.

Study Four (N = 55 child sexual offenders) examined variants of high narcissism to explore whether there were different associations with psychopathic traits and tendencies. Cluster analysis of selected MCMI-III scales found one group with high narcissism was characterised by greater aggressiveness, paranoia, and antisociality (malignant narcissism), while another group had more pronounced narcissistic personality pathology and less extensive antisocial features (higher functioning NPD with antisocial features). The former group reported high levels of emotional disturbance, while the latter group reported little other psychological maladjustment.

Taken together, the research findings supported the hypothesis that some, but not all, psychopaths are narcissists. The thesis indicated that conceptualisation of psychopathy needs to accommodate distinct constellations of trait elevations and emotional experience. The use of descriptive variants or typologies is one means of aiding this conceptualisation. Priorities for future research include replication of the descriptive typologies, inclusion of greater objective indicators of personality pathology and function, investigation with women, and evaluation of risk and treatability associated with the variants.