Narcissistic and psychopathic traits in romantic partners predict post-traumatic stress disorder symptomology: Evidence for unique impact in a large sample

This study investigated whether partner psychopathy and narcissism predicted posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Participants (N = 1294) involved in romantic relationships with individuals they perceived to have high narcissistic or psychopathic traits completed the Informant Five Factor Narcissism Inventory, the Modified Self-Report Psychopathy Scale and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 to assess partner traits and their own PTSD symptoms. The study also accounted for the impact of previous abuse history such as childhood abuse, manipulative behaviors associated with these partner traits such as love-bombing, gaslighting, stonewalling, jealousy induction, relationship status and duration, and the presence of physical abuse. Multiple linear regressions revealed that grandiose and vulnerable narcissism were significant predictors of PTSD symptomology for those who had already left the romantic relationship, even when previous abuse, physical abuse, manipulative tactics and abuse frequency were accounted for. Partner grandiose narcissism was the strongest predictor of PTSD and was more predictive than abuse frequency, childhood abuse or physical abuse for those who had left the relationship. Partner grandiose narcissism was the strongest predictor for most PTSD symptom clusters. Partner traits explained the most variance in PTSD intrusion and avoidance symptoms. Love bombing and jealousy induction were significant but weaker predictors of PTSD, and partially mediated the effect of grandiose narcissism on PTSD, although the direct effect of grandiose narcissism on PTSD was stronger than this mediation. For individuals who stayed in the relationship, only psychopathy, abuse frequency and childhood abuse remained significant predictors. This is the first study to establish that narcissistic partner traits are associated with posttraumatic symptomology.