The Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Association of Grandiose Narcissism With the Quality of the Parent-Child Relationship

Grandiose narcissism has been shown to interfere with the establishment of long-lasting relationships. Evidence on whether grandiose narcissism negatively affects the parent-child relationship, however, is less conclusive. Using data from a large, nationwide sample in Germany, the present study investigated the cross-sectional and longitudinal links between the agentic and antagonistic facets of grandiose narcissism and multiple indicators of the parent-child relationship. Results of multilevel analyses showed that particularly antagonistic narcissism was cross-sectionally, but not longitudinally, associated with a decreased level of intimacy and parental admiration within the parent-child relationship. Antagonistic narcissism was also cross-sectionally linked to reduced parental warmth and increased negative communication. These effects were observed across parent and child reports, underscoring the robustness of the results. The study highlights the importance of considering grandiose narcissism's role in the parent-child relationship, suggesting that particularly antagonistic narcissism is associated with a dysfunctional family environment.