Relationship between narcissistic tendencies and psychiatric conditions in patients undergoing physical...

This study examined the relationship between psychiatric conditions and narcissism in 78 patients with physical rehabilitation for illnesses such as cerebrovascular disease. The frequency of psychiatric disorders (Major Depression and Adjustment Disorder) was significantly higher for the patient group than for the healthy control group. The patients had significantly higher scores on measures of psychiatric symptoms including depression and lower scores on a narcissistic factor (Self-sufficiency) than the controls. In the patient group, the Self-sufficiency scores were significantly and positively correlated with Vigor scores. In the patient and control groups, although the correlation coefficient was not high and no significant difference was noted, the Self-sufficiency scores were negatively correlated with the Depression scores. These findings suggest that, in patients undergoing physical rehabilitation, poor Self-sufficiency is related to a decrease in vigor as a depressive symptom, perhaps due to the loss of physical functioning.