The Relation of Vulnerable Narcissism with Attachment Styles, Emotion Regulation, Rejection Sensitivity, Fear of Intimacy and Self-Concealment

Year 2019, , 127 - 148, 20.06.2019

Şeyma Elibol Emine Sevinç Sevi Tok

https://doi.org/10.31682/ayna.515625

Cited By: 3

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to investigate the associations between vulnerable
narcissism, adult attachment styles, emotion regulation, rejection sensitivity, fear of
intimacy and self-concealment. Another aim was to test the mediating role of emotion
regulation in the relationship between attachment and vulnerable narcissism and also
to examine the mediating role of rejection sensitivity in the relationship between selfconcealment and vulnerable narcissism. For this purpose, 236 participants between the
ages of 18 and 60, who were chosen from normal population, constituted the sample.
Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale, Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised,
Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire, Fear of
Intimacy Scale and Self-Concealment Scale were applied to the participants. Findings
of the study indicated significant positive relation of vulnerable narcissism with
anxious attachment style, emotion regulation difficulties, rejection sensitivity and selfconcealment. Also, a significant negative relationship was found between vulnerable
narcissism and fear of intimacy. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that study
variables explained 21% of the variance in vulnerable narcissism. In addition, emotion
regulation had a full mediating role in the relationship between anxious attachment
and vulnerable narcissism, whereas rejection sensitivity had partially mediated the
relation between self-concealment and vulnerable narcissism.

Keywords

vulnerable narcissism, attachment styles, emotion regulation, rejection sensitivity, self-concealment

Bağlanma Stilleri, Duygu Düzenleme, Reddedilme Duyarlılığı, Yakınlık Korkusu ve Kendini Saklamanın Kırılgan Narsisizm ile İlişkisi

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın temel amacı, kırılgan narsisizm ile yetişkin bağlanma stilleri, duygu
düzenleme güçlüğü, reddedilme duyarlılığı, yakınlık korkusu ve kendini saklama
değişkenleri arasındaki ilişkilerin incelenmesidir. Çalışmanın ikinci amacı ise,
bağlanma ile kırılgan narsisizm arasındaki ilişkide duygu düzenlemenin, kendini
saklama ile kırılgan narsisizm arasındaki ilişkide ise reddedilme duyarlılığının olası
aracı rollerinin sınanmasıdır. Bu amaçla, normal popülasyondan seçilen 18-60 yaş
arası toplam 236 yetişkin katılımcı çalışmanın örneklemini oluşturmuştur.
Katılımcılara Aşırı Duyarlı Narsisizm Ölçeği, Yakın İlişkilerde Yaşantılar Envanteri-II,
Duygu Düzenlemede Güçlükler Ölçeği, Yetişkin Reddedilme Duyarlılığı Ölçeği,
Yakınlık Korkusu Ölçeği ve Kendini Saklama Envanteri uygulanmıştır. Çalışmanın
bulgularında, kırılgan narsisizm ile kaygılı bağlanma, duygu düzenleme güçlüğü,
reddedilme duyarlılığı ve kendini saklama arasında anlamlı pozitif ilişkilere rastlanmış,
kırılgan narsisizm ile yakınlık korkusu arasında ise anlamlı negatif ilişkinin olduğu
gözlenmiştir. Tüm bağımsız değişkenlerin bir arada analize sokulduğu aşamalı
regresyon analizi sonucunda, değişkenlerin bir arada kırılgan narsisizmin varyansının
%21’ini açıkladığı bulunmuştur. Ayrıca, bağlanma ile kırılgan narsisizm arasındaki
ilişkide duygu düzenlemenin tam aracı rolü olduğu, kendini saklama ile kırılgan
narsisizm arasındaki ilişkide ise reddedilme duyarlılığının kısmi aracılık yaptığı
saptanmıştır.

Keywords

duygu düzenleme, reddedilme duyarlılığı, kırılgan narsisizm, bağlanma stilleri, kendini saklama

References

• Ainsworth, M. D. S. (1985). Patterns of attachment. Clinical Psychologist, 38(2), 27–29.
• Akhtar, S., & Thompson, J. A. (1982). Overview: Narcissitic personality disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 139(1), 12–20.
• Atlas, G. D., & Them, M. A. (2008). Narcissism and sensitivity to criticism: A preliminary investigation. Current Psychology, 27(1), 62–76.
• Berenson, K. R., Gyurak, A., Ayduk, O., Downey G., Garner, M.J., Mogg, K.,... Pine, D. S. (2009). Rejection sensitivity and disruption of attention by social threat cues. Journal of Research in Personality, 43(6), 1064–1072.
• Besser, A., & Priel, B. (2009). Emotional responses to a partner’s imaginary rejection: The roles of attachment anxiety, covert narcissism and self evaluation. Journal of Personality, 77(1), 287- 325.
• Besser, A., & Priel, B. (2010). Grandiose narcissism versus vulnerable narcissism in threatening situations: Emotional reactions to achievement failure and interpersonal rejection. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 29(8), 874-902.
• Bowlby, J. (1969/1982). Attachment and loss. Vol. 1. Attachment. New York: Basic Books.
• Bozkuş, O., & Araz, A. (2015). Narsisizm ve evlilik uyumu ilişkisinde reddedilme duyarlılığı ve olumlu yanılsamaların aracı rolü. Nesne Psikoloji Dergisi, 3(6), 29-54.
• Cain, N. M., Pincus, A. L., & Ansell, E. B. (2008). Narcissism at the crossroads: Phenotypic discripcion of pathological narcissism across clinical theory, social/personality psychology and psychiatric diagnosis. Clinical Psychology Review, 28, 638-656.
• Cassidy, J. (1994). Emotion regulation: Influences of attachment relationships. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 59(2-3), 228-283.
• Cooper, A. M. (1981). Narcissism. S. Arieti, H. Keith, & H. Brodie (Ed.) içinde, American handbook of psychiatry (ss. 297-316). New York: Basic Books.
• Czarna, A. Z. (2014). Affective consequences of self-focus in vulnerable and grandiose narcissists. Personality and Individual Differences, (60), 49.
• Derlega, V. J., & Chaikin, A. L. (1977). Privacy and self-disclosure in social relationships. Journal of Social Issues, 33(3), 102-115.
• Descutner, C. J., & Thelen, M. H. (1991). Development and validation of a fear-of-intimacy scale. Psychological assessment: A Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 3(2), 218-225.
• Dhawan, N., Kunik, M. E., Oldham, J., & Coverdale, J. (2010). Prevalence and treatment of narcissistic personality disorder in the community: A systematic review. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 51, 333-339.
• Di Pierro, R., Di Sarno, M., & Madeddu, F. (2017). Investigating the relationship between narcissism and emotion regulation difficulties: The role of grandiose and vulnerable traits. Clinical Neuropsychiatry, 14(3), 209-215.
• Dickinson, K., & Pincus, A. (2003). Interpersonal analysis of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. Journal of Personality Disorders, 17(3), 188-207.
• Downey, G., & Feldman, S. I. (1996). Implications of rejection sensitivity for intimate relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70(6), 1327-134.
• Elibol, Ş., & Sevi Tok, E. S. (2018). Yakınlık korkusu ölçeğinin Türkçe formunun geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması. Yeni Symposium, 56, 0-0. doi: 10.5455/NYS.20180905115324
• Ellis, H. (1898). Auto-erotism: A psychological study. The Alienist and Neurologist, 19(2), 260-299.
• Erikson, E. H. (1950). Childhood and society. New York: Norton.
• Feldman, S., & Downey, G. (1994). Rejection sensitivity as a mediator of the impact of childhood exposure to family violence on adult attachment behavior. Development and Psychopathology, 6(1), 231-247.
• Finzi-Dotton, R., Har-Even, D., & Raz, G. (2011). Who is sensitive to rejection? The role of attachment, narcissism and fear of intimacy. E. Kourkoutas ve F. Erkman (Ed.) içinde, Interpersonal acceptance and rejection: Social, emotional, and educational contexts (ss. 183-197). Florida: Brown Walker Press.
• Firestone, R. W., & Catlett, J. (1999). Fear of Intimacy (1. Basım). American Psychological Association.
• Fossati, A., Feeney J., Pincus, A., Borroni, S., & Maffei, C. (2014). The structure of pathological narcissism and its relationships with adult attachment styles: A study of Italian nonclinical and clinical adult participants. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 32(3), 403-431.
• Fraley, R. C., Waller, N. G., & Brennan, K. A. (2000). An item response theory analysis of self-report measures of adult attachment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(2), 350-365.
• Freud, S. (1931/1950). Libidinal types. Strachey, J. (Ed.) içinde, The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (ss. 217–220). London: Hogarth Press.
• Frijda, N. H. (1986). The Emotions (1.Basım). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
• Gabbard, G. O. (1989). Two subtypes of narcissistic personality disorder. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 53(6), 527-532.
• Gabbard, G. O. (1998). Transference and countertransference in the treatment of narcissistic patients. Ronningstam, E. (Ed.) içinde, Disorders of narcissism: Diagnostic, clinical, and empirical implications (ss. 125-145). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.
• Gratz, K. L., & Roemer, L. (2004). Multidimensional assessment of emotion regulation and dysregulation: Development, factor structure and initial validation of the difficulties in emotion regulation scale. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 26(1), 41-54.
• Gross, J. J. (1999). Emotion and emotion regulation. L. A. Pervin, & O. P. John (Ed.) içinde, Handbook of personality: Theory and research (ss. 525-552). New York: Guilford Press.
• Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. (1987). Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(3), 511-524.
• Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. R. (1994). Deeper into attachment theory. Psychological Inquiry, 5(1), 68-79. Hendin, H. M., & Cheek, J. M. (1997). Assessing hypersensitive narcissism: A re-examination of Murray's Narcissism Scale. Journal of Research in Personality, 31(4), 588-599.
• Hickman, S. E., Watson, P. J., & Morris, R. J. (1996). Optimism, pessimism, and the complexity of narcissism. Personality and Individual Differences, 20(4), 521-525.
• Horney, K. (1937). The neurotic personality of our time (1. Basım). New York: Norton.
• Kernberg, O. (2012). Sınır durumlar ve patolojik narsisizm (M. Atakay, Çev.). İstanbul: Metis Yayınları (1975).
• Kohut, H. (2015). Kendiliğin çözümlenmesi (C. Atbaşoğlu, Çev.). İstanbul: Metis Yayınları (1971).
• Koole S. L. (2008). The psychology of emotion regulation: An integrative review. Cognition and Emotion, 23(1), 4-41.
• Larson, D. G., & Chastain R. L. (1990). Self-concealment: Conceptualization, measurement and health implications. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 9, 439-455.
• Larson, D. G., Chastain, R. L., Hoyt, W. T., & Ayzenberg, R. (2015). Self-concealment: Integrative review and working model. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 34, 705-774.
• Lazarus, R. S. (1966). Psychological stress and the coping process. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Lazarus, R. S. (1991). Emotion and adaptation. New York: Oxford University Press.
• Levy, K. N. (2012). Subtypes, dimensions, levels and mental states in narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 68(8), 886-896
• Malkin, M. L., Barry, C. T., & Zeigler-Hill, V. (2011). Covert narcissism as a predictor of internalizing symptoms after performance feedback in 104 adolescents. Personality and Individual Differences, 51(5), 623-628.
• Mikulincer, M., & Florian, V. (1998). The relationship between adult attachment styles and emotional and cognitive reactions to stressful events. Simpson, J. A. ve Rholes, W. S. (Ed.) içinde, Attachment theory and close relationships (ss. 143-165). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
• Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2007). Attachment in adulthood: Structure, dynamics, and change (1. Basım). New York: Guilford Press.
• Miller, J. D., Dir, A., Gentile, B., Wilson, L., Pryor, L. R., & Campbell, W. K. (2010). Searching for a vulnerable dark triad: Comparing factor 2 psychopathy, vulnerable narcissism, and borderline personality disorder. Journal of Personality, 78, 1529–1564.
• Özdemir, H. E. (2017). Bir grup üniversite öğrencisinde bağlanma stilleri ile narsisizm arasındaki ilişki: Reddedilme duyarlılığının aracı rolü. (Yayınlanmamış Yüksek Lisans Tezi). Işık Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, İstanbul.
• Pietrzak, J., Downey, G., & Ayduk, O. (2005). Rejection sensitivity as an interpersonal vulnerability. M. W. Baldwin (Ed.) içinde, Interpersonal cognition (ss. 62-84). New York: Guilford.
• Pincus, A. L. (2011). Some comments on nomology, diagnostic process, and narcissistic personality disorder in the DSM-5 proposal for personality and personality disorders. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 2, 41-53.
• Pincus, A. L., & Roche, M. J. (2011). Narcissistic grandiosity and narcissistic vulnerability. W. K. Campbell ve J. D. Miller (Ed.) içinde, Handbook of narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder (ss. 31-40). Hoboken, NJ: John Willey and Sons.
• Pistole, M. C. (1995). Adult attachment style and narcissistic vulnerability. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 12(1), 115-126.
• Reich, A. (1960). Pathologic forms of self-esteem regulation. The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 15(1), 215-232.
• Reich, W. (1949). Character analysis (2. Basım). New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
• Rose, P. (2002). The happy and unhappy faces of narcissism. Personality and Individual Differences, 33, 379-391.
• Rugancı, N. & Gençöz, T. (2010). Psychometric properties of a Turkish version of the difficulties in emotion regulation scale. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 66(4), 442-455.
• Selçuk, E., Gunaydin, G., Sumer, N., & Uysal A. (2005). Yetişkin bağlanma boyutları için yeni bir ölçüm: Yakın İlişkilerde Yaşantılar Envanteri-II’nin Türk örnekleminde psikometrik açıdan değerlendirilmesi. Türk Psikoloji Yazıları, 8(16), 1-11.
• Smolewska, K., & Dion, K. L. (2005). Narcissism and adult attachment: A multivariate approach. Self and Identity, 4(1), 59-68.
• Şengül, B. Z., Ünal, E., Akça, S., Canbolat F., Denizci, M., & Baştuğ, G. (2015). Validity and reliability study for the Turkish adaptation of the Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale (HSNS). The Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences, 28(3), 231-241.
• Terzi, Ş., Güngör, H. C., & Erdayı, G. S. (2010). Kendini Saklama Ölçeği’nin uyarlanması: Geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması. Türk Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 8(3), 645-660.
• Thompson, R. A. (1994). Emotion regulation: A theme in search of definition. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 59(2-3), 25-52.
• Tracy, J. L., Cheng, J. T., Robins, R. W., & Trzesniewski, K. H. (2009). Authentic and hubristic pride: The affective core of self-esteem and narcissism. Self and Identity, 8(2-3).
• Wink, P. (1991). Two faces of narcissism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 6 (4), 590-597.
• Winnicott, D. W. (1965). The Maturational Processes and The Facilitating Environment (1. Basım). New York: International Universities Press.
• Zhang, H., Luo, Y., Zhao, Y., Zhang, R., & Wang, Z. (2017). Differential relations of grandiose narcissism and vulnerable narcissism to emotion dysregulation: Self-esteem matters. Asian Journal of Psychology, 20(3-4), 232-237.