A Historical Review of Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality

Although its place in history is secure, with DSM-5 on the horizon the future of narcissism and NPD is uncertain. Current conceptions of DSM-5 do not include NPD among the five major personality disorder types. However, aspects of NPD are included in the remaining three components of the proposed model (level of personality functioning, general personality dysfunction, and personality traits). Thus, the personality disorder workgroup suggests that narcissistic functioning can be captured through the use of this hybrid model. The workgroup has proposed that the new model allow for a multidimensional assessment of narcissism, which will provide a more nuanced portrait. Of course, the final conceptualization of narcissism or NPD in DSM-5 awaits more data from field trials and debate within the scientific community, and regardless of how it is included in DSM-5, research on the concept will continue. One thing is for certain: despite its rich history, contributions for understanding clinical phenomena, and broad influence for conceptualizing trends in society, narcissism has only relatively recently begun to receive its due attention. The inclusion of NPD in the DSM-III led to an upsurge of research, but data suggest that this interest has leveled off(Konrath, 2008). Despite this finding, research findings from clinical psychology and psychiatry as well as social-personality psychology suggest that more intensive focus on narcissism is needed.