Dimensions of narcissism and intimate partner aggression: A vignette study

Abstract

Intimate partner abuse (IPA) is a public health concern for which research examining etiology remains essential. Prior research suggests that personality traits (broadly) and narcissism (specifically) are risk factors for IPA perpetration. The current study examined whether grandiose (NG) and vulnerable (NV) dimensions of the narcissism construct would differentially relate to propensity for IPA perpetration under various types of provocation. Participants completed a measure of narcissism and read vignettes portraying hypothetical interpersonal interactions designed to threaten either their achievements or their relationships. Following this, participants were asked to rate their likelihood of responding to each scenario with psychological or physical IPA. Results suggested that NV was associated with both psychological and physical IPA propensity in response to both achievement and relationship threatening situations. NG was associated with both psychological and physical IPA propensity in response to achievement threatening situations and with physical (but not psychological) IPA propensity in response to relationship threatening scenarios. These results suggest that both NV and NG are associated with IPA perpetration. They further suggest that while various forms of provocation may be similarly related to IPA propensity, they may be differentially associated with the type of IPA perpetrated among individuals high in NV or NG, respectively.