Academic literature on the topic 'Narcissism, Rorschach, Multimethod Assessment'

Abstract. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD) have been criticized frequently in recent years, with most critiques focusing on perceived limitations of diagnostic categories. These criticisms notwithstanding, the most promising approach to refining the diagnostic systems is not to replace the categorical model, but to expand the range of assessment methods that are used by clinicians to render diagnoses. This article presents an evidence-based framework for integrating interview and Rorschach data to enhance diagnostic precision, improve treatment planning, and provide a novel paradigm for studying the dynamics of psychopathology in clinical and community settings. Following a discussion of problems associated with monomethod assessment based on patient self-reports, the advantages of multimethod assessment in psychiatric diagnosis are described. A three-step approach to evidence-based multimethod diagnosis is outlined, emphasizing patients’ underlying dynamics, self-attributions, and expressed behaviors. The possibility of updating DSM and ICD symptom criteria to capture these three levels of patient functioning is discussed, strategies for exploring convergences and divergences between interview and Rorschach data are presented, and avenues for expanding the scope of Rorschach practice and research in the 21st century are described.

We evaluate 11 Rorschach variables with potential for assessing grandiosity and narcissism. Seven of these variables were drawn from previous literature: Omnipotence, Idealization, Reflection, Personal Knowledge Justification, Exhibitionism, Magic, and Elevated Mood States; four were developed for this research: Expanded Personal Reference, Narcissistic Devaluation, Narcissistic Deflation, and Narcissistic Denial. Using Rorschach protocols from American normative adults and Italian adult outpatients, the dimensional structure of these variables was evaluated by principal components analysis, and validity was tested by correlations with clinician ratings of narcissism on two scales from the Shedler–Westen Assessment Procedure–200 that were made after at least five sessions with the primary clinician. A cohesive dimension was found in both data sets defined by Expanded Personal Reference, Personal Knowledge Justification, Omnipotence, and Idealization, and it was meaningfully correlated with the clinician ratings of narcissism ( M r = .41). Implications of the findings include the applicability of these variables in clinical practice and research for assessing narcissistic personality dynamics.

Abstract. Over the years, projective tests lost their power and became the target of criticism. The methods were old, not supported by any powerful evidence, and were ridiculed in cartoons, movies, and popular media. It is difficult for clinicians to deal with these criticisms. A difficulty often heard among clinicians who are proficient in personality assessment is how to cope with skepticism and preconceptions in the use of projective methods. Working in a forensic setting and a residential setting for people with severe personality disorders challenged us on how to implement the Rorschach in our daily work as assessors, teachers, and supervisors. In this article we describe our journey in trying to work collaboratively with our clients, management staff, colleagues, and students in the use of projective methods. Although research overall shows that multimethod assessment is the gold standard, daily practice shows differently. The use of semi-structured self-report methods seems to be more popular, and these are perceived as more evidence-based. We compare the implementation of the Rorschach in an evidence-based setting with the implementation of a new therapeutic model from a heuristic point of view ( Hutsebaut et al., 2012 ).

<p>This study investigates the associations between the narcissistic leader and performance and the moderating effect of a leader’s tenure and self-esteem. The hypothesis were studied with Pearson correlations and stepwise hierarchical multiple regression analyses (n=203). The moderating effect of leader’s tenure on the relationship between narcissism and leader performance was confirmed. The narcissistic leader’s performance tends to be positively evaluated only because the leader has held the position for a very short period. Self-esteem exhibited a very strong correlation to leader performance. The results support the view that narcissism is a personality dimension, albeit one that is not necessarily pathological. The results of this study suggest it would be wise to add Rorschach Comprehensive System (RCS) to the tools available in the personnel assessment situation.</p>

The construct of narcissism is at the same time surrounded by wide interest in clinical and research settings and important controversies about its conceptual definition and phenomenological description. Theoretical issues involve diverging ideas about the essence of narcissism itself, arising from different branches of psychology and psychiatry and lacking a unanimously accepted definition. Whereas the most accepted diagnostic manuals emphasize a high self-esteem dimension in their description of narcissism, influential clinical theories and studies from personality psychology depict individuals with a narcissistic functioning as characterized not only by a grandiose sense of self but rather by a continuous and painful oscillation between high and low self-esteem states. In this view, grandiose behaviors could be interpreted as a defensive reaction towards inadequacy feelings. The scenario is complicated even further by the fact that empirical research on narcissism is characterized by specific methodological and assessment issues. Narcissism is in fact particularly sensitive to the diagnostic method used, with evident limitations connected to an assessment relying on self-report measures only. Therefore, there is a need for an implicit measure of narcissism that can complement the results of other methods. The present investigation represents the development of a set of 11 potential Rorschach variables for assessing narcissistic functioning and grandiosity along with related psychological constructs. Rorschach protocols from Italian and American clinical and nonclinical groups of different ages were scored for variables connected to narcissistic functioning, some of which we modified from previous literature: Omnipotence and Idealization; Reflection, Personal Knowledge Justification, Exhibitionism, Magic, and Elevated Mood States; and some of which we developed: Expanded Personal Reference, Narcissistic Devaluation, Narcissistic Deflation, Narcissistic Denial. The presence of a grandiosity factor was then evaluated by principal components analysis and its validity tested by computing correlations with external criteria. Also in an attempt to throw light on the status of narcissism in developmental age, clinical preadolescent and adolescent groups were involved as well, with the possibility to identify any peculiarities that may be connected to the assessment of these variables at specific ages. Along with clinical studies, in the present investigation an experimental paradigm was used in order to systematically study the relationships between the narcissistic variables and nonclinical individuals’ reactions to manipulations of self-esteem. Overall, findings support the utility of a multimethod assessment for narcissism, focused not only on how individuals understand and describe themselves but also on how they perceive the world and interact with it. Results about narcissistic functioning in preadolescents and adolescents contribute to fill a gap in the field considering the general lack of consensus about the possibility to conceptualize narcissism in children as different from a normal feature of development.