The systemic-constructionist theory of family semantic polarities is an intersubjective model of personality and its psychopathological devel- opments which has important implications for the psychotherapeutic process. This study analyses the narratives of a clinical group of indi- viduals diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) to investigate whether there is a predominant semantic organization and what the most common themes and meanings are. The narra- tives of 18 individuals diagnosed with NPD which emerged during the administration of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) were ana- lyzed using the Family Semantics Grid (FSG). The quantitative analysis shows that in the narratives of individuals diagnosed with NPD none of the semantic organizations predominates over another. A qualita- tive analysis revealed the salience of themes related to the “winner-loser” definition of self, others, and relationships (power semantics), relational movement of “approaching-keeping distance” (freedom semantics), emotions such as “despair” and “anger” associ- ated with exclusion (belonging semantics), and the polar meaning of “intransigent versus permissive” and the emotion of guilt (semantics of goodness). From a constructivist and constructionist perspective, narcissistic symptomatology appears as an attempt to achieve recog- nition of a superior status through admiration while maintaining emotional distance to protect the grandiose self-image. These find- ings may serve as a pilot for future, larger-scale investigations.
The Stories Narcissists Tell. A Systemic and Semantic Perspective of Narcissistic Personality Disorder Using the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) Protocols
Venera, E. M.First
;Civilotti, C.
;Dipaola, D.;Sensi, A.Membro del Collaboration Group
;Di Fini, G.;Gandino, G.Last
2025-01-01
Abstract
The systemic-constructionist theory of family semantic polarities is an intersubjective model of personality and its psychopathological devel- opments which has important implications for the psychotherapeutic process. This study analyses the narratives of a clinical group of indi- viduals diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) to investigate whether there is a predominant semantic organization and what the most common themes and meanings are. The narra- tives of 18 individuals diagnosed with NPD which emerged during the administration of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) were ana- lyzed using the Family Semantics Grid (FSG). The quantitative analysis shows that in the narratives of individuals diagnosed with NPD none of the semantic organizations predominates over another. A qualita- tive analysis revealed the salience of themes related to the “winner-loser” definition of self, others, and relationships (power semantics), relational movement of “approaching-keeping distance” (freedom semantics), emotions such as “despair” and “anger” associ- ated with exclusion (belonging semantics), and the polar meaning of “intransigent versus permissive” and the emotion of guilt (semantics of goodness). From a constructivist and constructionist perspective, narcissistic symptomatology appears as an attempt to achieve recog- nition of a superior status through admiration while maintaining emotional distance to protect the grandiose self-image. These find- ings may serve as a pilot for future, larger-scale investigations.
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