Pathological narcissism, self and other representations, and affect in the patient-therapist relationship: Preliminary data from an experience sampling study

This intensive longitudinal study will investigate how patients’ affects during individual psychotherapy may be shaped by (a) patients’ pathological narcissistic traits and (b) patients’ representations of self- and therapist’s dominance during sessions. Patients enrolled in individual psychotherapy will be assessed for narcissistic traits before entering a 17-week experience sampling assessment: affects and perceptions of self- and therapist’s dominance will be collected in an event-contingent design after each psychotherapy session. Preliminary data will be analyzed using multilevel modeling. The level of dominance differential (e.g., perceiving oneself as less dominant compared to how the therapist is perceived) will be linked to the affects that patients experience in the interaction with their therapists. The moderating role of pathological narcissism will be tested to address if patients high in narcissistic traits report particularly negative emotions under conditions of dominance differential. The study will contribute to our understanding of the affective and representational dynamics associated with traits of pathological narcissism in the context of a therapeutic relationship.