An examination of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism in adults, adolescents, and children

The nature of narcissism prior to adulthood, how it connects to adult expressions of narcissism, and how it differs from self­ esteem, have been long-standing gaps in narcissism theory and research. This thesis addresses these gaps by developing and validating two new narcissism scales that provide a balanced yet brief assessment of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism in adults and children. Eleven empirical studies are reported across seven chapters. The studies demonstrate construct continuity but also important developmental differences between adult and child narcissism. These studies also demonstrate that differentiating grandiose and vulnerable narcissism uncovers the (mal)adaptiveness of trait narcissism in children.