Emotional awareness among eating‐disordered patients: the role of narcissistic traits

Abstract

Emotional awareness and narcissism 2Emotional awareness among eating-disordered patients: The role of narcissistic traits AbstractThe narcissistic defences and a lack of emotional awareness (alexithymia) are both salient features of eating disorder pathology, as well as being linked to each other. As each of these characteristics impacts independently on treatment, it is important to understand how they interact within an eating-disordered population. The present study assessed the associations between the three core elements of alexithymia and the core and defensive elements of narcissism in this clinical group. Seventy eating-disordered patients completed standardised measures of alexithymia and narcissism, and multiple regression analyses were conducted in order to examine the relationship between these variables. Core narcissism (e.g., grandiosity, entitlement) was associated with difficulties in describing feelings to others, whereas the narcissistic defences were associated with difficulties in identifying feelings and distinguishing them from somatic experiences. These patterns of association suggest that different aspects of alexithymia are associated with different aspects of narcissism. Clinical suggestions are made for how these characteristics might require modifications of standard treatment approaches for the eating disorders.

The narcissistic self and its psychological and neural correlates: an exploratory fMRI study

“…The co-occurrence and interdependency of narcissistic traits and alexithymia in eating-disordered patients have been reported by Lawson et al (2008). The correlation of narcissism and lack of empathy is even more established, as documented in clinicalconceptual accounts (Kohut, 1971 ;Kernberg, 1975), experimental investigation (Watson et al 1984) and the DSM-IV (APA, 1994) diagnostic criteria for narcissistic personality disorder.…”

Alexithymia and eating disorders: a critical review of the literature

“…While some studies have not reported significant differences in alexithymia levels across the eating disorders [2,25,43,57,58], others have suggested that individuals with a diagnosis of AN experience higher levels of alexithymia [4,26,31,36,59]. In one of the first studies to investigate differences between eating disorders, Schmidt and colleagues [31] found that patients in the AN-R group reported significantly higher total alexithymia scores compared to patients in the AN-B/P and BN groups.…”

General Principles for Treating Personality Disorder with a Prominent Inhibitedness Trait: Towards an Operationalizing Integrated Technique

“…Consequently it is difficult for such individuals to put themselves in others' shoes and abandon their own viewpoint to achieve a sophisticated understanding of what drives others to act, feel, or think (Dimaggio, Lysaker, Carcione, Nicolò, & Semerari, 2008;Fonagy, 1991). Similarly, prominent narcissistic, schizoid, or avoidant traits or disorders are related to poor awareness of one's own emotions and their causes (Bach, de Zwaan, Ackard, Nutzinger, & Mitchell, 1994;De Rick & Vanheule, 2007;Lawson, Waller, Sines, & Meyer, 2008;Taylor, Bagby, & Parker, 1997).…”