Impact of Parental Narcissistic Personality Disorder on Parent-Child Relationship Quality and Child Well-Being: A Systematic Review

TL;DR

This paper reviews how parental narcissism affects children's well-being and relationships, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

Contribution

The study systematically reviews recent empirical findings on how different types of parental narcissism impact child outcomes.

Findings

Parental narcissism is linked to poorer child psychological and relational outcomes.

Antagonistic traits of grandiose narcissism correlate with colder parent-child relationships.

Vulnerable narcissism is associated with child maladjustment via attachment insecurity and poor parenting.

Abstract

Parental narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) and narcissistic traits have been increasingly implicated in maladaptive parenting behaviors, emotional unavailability, and disrupted parent-child relationships, all of which are critical determinants of children’s psychological and relational development. Despite growing clinical concern, empirical findings on the impact of parental narcissism on child mental health and attachment-related outcomes remain fragmented and conceptually inconsistent. This review synthesizes quantitative research published between 2015 and 2024 to examine the effects of parental NPD and narcissistic traits on parent-child relationship quality and child psychological outcomes. A systematic search of major electronic databases identified eight eligible empirical studies. Across studies, parental narcissism was associated with poorer relational and psychological outcomes in children, with effects varying by narcissism subtype, trait facet, and developmental context. Antagonistic facets of grandiose narcissism were consistently linked to colder and more conflictual parent-child relationships, whereas agentic facets showed neutral or context-dependent associations. Vulnerable narcissism was more strongly associated with child maladjustment through mechanisms such as attachment insecurity, scapegoating, and maladaptive parenting practices. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of differentiating narcissism subtypes and identifying relational mediators to clarify pathways of risk and to inform targeted preventive and clinical interventions.

Figures