Self psychology and the narcissistic personality disorders

This article is about the self psychological approach to narcissistic personality disorders. Starting from the vantage point of considering the growth and development of the self as crucial to understanding any and all disorders of narcissism, it describes the various forms of self development. These forms are felt to emerge and grow according to patterns seen in the transference of these patients in treatment. The transferences are called selfobject transferences and are based on the use of another person as part of the self, that is, as a part of the structure needed for growth. The three kinds of transferences that have been described are the mirror transference, the idealizing transference, and the twinship transference. These are considered to be expressions of childhood development that has gone awry and thus to be the focus for psychological intervention. Short-term treatment aims for repair of an injured or traumatized self. Long-term treatment or analysis aims for a reorganized self that pursues its own further development. Some factors involving etiology and the role of empathy in treatment are noted in the discussion.