Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy. Volume 8, Number 3 (Archival Information Package)

The psychological literature pertaining to the treatment of the patient with a narcissistic personality disturbance is dominated by the divergent theories of Otto Kernberg and Heinz Kohut. In this context, Stephen Mitchells theory of narcissistic illusion, which integrates Kernbergs view of narcissism as a defensive phenomenon and Kohuts view of narcissism as a growth-enhancing opportunity, is first reviewed. The current study then seeks to assess, through the application of Mitchells integrated treatment model to three long-term psychotherapy cases, the efficacy of Mitchells model. Efficacy is assessed through (a) a comparison of pre-treatment and post-treatment scores on two standardized, self-report measures, Raskin and Terry's Narcissistic Personality Inventory and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III; (b) DSM diagnostic appraisals before and after therapy; and (c) behavioral comparisons indicating initial psychopathology versus improvement over the course of therapy. In interpreting the findings of the case studies, I argue that the goal of treatment of patients with a narcissistic personality disturbance is to help them (a) acknowledge their narcissistic orientation, and (b) ultimately understand the function of their narcissistic illusion. I conclude that Mitchells theory successfully guides the clinician to such an outcome. The strengths and limitations of Mitchells model are critically reviewed. Finally, adjunctive interventions to aid the clinician in the management of the patients ongoing narcissistic vulnerability are proposed. This resource is archived and is not available for public use. The publicly accessible version is available at http://pcsp.libraries.rutgers.edu/pcsp/issue/view/253Binary format, Base64 in XML wrapper, native OJS import format -- README file -- The Management of Narcissistic Vulnerability: Three Case Studies Guided by Stephen Mitchell's Integrated Treatment Model / Riordan, R. -- On Tone, Play, and Healing: Commentary on Riordan's Case Studies / McWilliams, N. -- The Many Complexities in Treating and Studying Narcissism / Levy, K. -- A Personal Perspective on the Treatment of Three Cases of Narcissistic Vulnerability / Riordan, R