A new study has shed light on the origins of narcissism in children and the role parents play in its development. A Dutch study of 565 children and their parents over two years found that children whose parents over-value them are more likely to suffer from narcissism.
Until now the origins of narcissism were thought to be caused by either parental over-valuation, believing their child is more special and entitled than other children, or by a lack of parental warmth towards the child.
The researchers found a positive correlation between over-valuation and narcissism, however no relationship was found between parental warmth and narcissism. The amount of parental warmth perceived by the child did correlate with their self-esteem.
Original research paper published in the PNAS on March 9, 2015.
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