AUTHOR=Riegel Karel D. , Schlosserova Lucia , Zbornik Tadeas S. TITLE=Self-reported narcissistic traits in patients with addiction through the lens of the ICD-11 model for personality disorders JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry VOLUME=13 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1041480 DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1041480 ISSN=1664-0640 ABSTRACT=Background

There is a presumption that pathological narcissism, or narcissistic personality disorder per se, can be considered a precursor to addiction. Although the ICD-11 model does not distinguish specific personality disorders, narcissistic psychopathology should be captured through personality trait qualifiers.

Objectives

To verify the capacity of the ICD-11 model in the detection of narcissistic psychopathology in patients with addiction; to test its discrimination capacity, convergent validity, and specificity toward the gender and the type of addiction.

Materials and methods

Two samples were employed in the study. Sample 1 (n = 421) consisted of patients with addiction; Sample 2 (n = 567) consisted of general population volunteers. Age range was 18–75 years and a battery of self-assessment questionnaires containing Personality Inventory for DSM-5–Brief Form Plus Modified; Triarchic Psychopathy Measure; Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale; and Level of Personality Functioning Scale-Self-Report was administered by pencil-and-paper method.

Results

The following was confirmed: (1) capacity of the ICD-11 model in relation to capture narcissistic pathology; (2) the differentiation capacity between the clinical and non-clinical population; (3) gender specificity in relation to grandiose and vulnerable narcissism; (4) the connection between the overall degree of impairment in personality functioning and most of trait qualifiers; (5) certain specifics of patients with addiction in relation to the type of addiction.

Conclusion

Results support the empirical and clinical relevance of the ICD-11 model in capturing narcissistic pathology in addicted patients. Clinical implications concerning assessment and treatment in addiction settings, and certain limits regarding the Anankastia domain are discussed.