Hello again! This week’s view of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) will be through the lens of Albert Bandura’s social-cognitive theory. Hopefully, you read last week’s post on Skinner’s theory of NPD based on observable patterns and reinforcement, as it offered a segue into what we will cover this week. Bandura’s social-cognitive theory expands on the behavioral model by acknowledging the role of cognition, self-beliefs, and personal agency in shaping behaviors, not ju

Welcome back! This week’s discussion will focus on using behavioral techniques based on B. F. Skinner’s theory of personality to better understand Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). Unlike some of the theories we have discussed over the previous weeks, Skinner’s work may feel more familiar to you, as he is widely recognized for pioneering behavior modification through reinforcement. It is one of the few techniques that is easily adaptable to many settings, so people wil

Hello again! This week’s view of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) will focus on a biological perspective. As with the theme of the posts so far, you may have noticed that we are going through the different frameworks to explore which approaches may best help you understand and address the symptoms you are experiencing. While multiple approaches may work in theory, your individual buy-in to an approach will be a big determinant as to the benefits you are able to get out

Hello readers! This week’s discussion will delve more into different theoretical models that may explain Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). Hans Eysenck’s three-factor model of personality offers a more direct framework for explaining the pathological expression of traits we observe in NPD. If you ever hear the term “superfactors’ used or see the acronym “P, E, and N” used, it is likely referring to Eysenck’s model, which condensed personality into three broad traits: p

Welcome back again! Let us now look at Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) from a phenomenological perspective. Positive psychology focuses more on strengths overall life improvements rather than pathology (Owens & Waters, 2020). This has the potential to be helpful for individuals with NPD as it may speak to the need for validation and not shame. Positive psychology hinges on the belief that traits may be functional and possibly beneficial to a certain extent, which can

Hello readers! As promised in the last post, we will spend some time discussing how Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is viewed and can be applied clinically. It is important that we know more about what to expect based on the treatment approach that we may decide to take. For this post, we will focus on the clinical application based on Carl Jung’s analytical psychology. “Jung emphasizes that all individuals face a fundamental personal task: finding unity in the self”

It's important to first start with what we are here to discuss, Narcissistic Personality Disorder or NPD. As noted in my previous post, NPD "is a pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy" (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2022, p. 733). When we know what something is, it is much easier to also identify what it is not. It is not just a partner that is disagreeable, controlling, or manipulative. I use these examples as this is what is often the ba

Hello everyone! My name is Lacee Lovely and I work as a Licensed Professional Counselor - Supervisor (LPC-S). I’ve been in the counseling field for the past 11 yrs, having received my MS in Mental Health Counseling in 2014. I am currently a Clinical Psychology PhD student looking to expand my knowledge in order to better help individuals like you, the reader. I have a private practice where I provide counseling, supervise student interns and supervise associate level clinicia