Core beliefs and narcissistic characteristics among eating-disordered and non-clinical women

Narcissism is a personality trait that can interfere with the application of evidence-based therapies for the eating disorders, influencing collaboration and the patient's willingness to take responsibility for participating in change. In order to understand and work with this personality characteristic, it is important to understand the cognitions that underpin the traits concerned.

This study examined the associations between schema-level core beliefs and narcissism in eating disorders. Narcissism was conceptualized in terms of both its core element (entitlement and grandiosity) and the narcissistic defences (bad you and poor me attitudes).

Validated measures of the different elements of narcissism and of core beliefs were completed by 80 eating-disordered patients and 70 non-clinical comparison women. Multiple regression analyses were used to determine the core beliefs associated with each aspect of narcissism.

The pattern of association differed across the two groups. Among the eating-disordered women, different core beliefs were associated with core narcissism and with each of the two defences.

Unconditional schema-level beliefs are associated with narcissistic personality traits in the eating disorders suggesting that these therapy-interfering personality characteristics might be addressed by modifying the relevant core beliefs, thus making it possible to work more directly with the eating disorder itself.