The role of empathy in narcissism : an empirical investigation of Heinz Kohut's work

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Seth D. Leventhal (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Rosemery Nelson-Gray

Abstract: The present study empirically explored theoretical postulates advanced by Heinz Kohut (1977, 1984) regarding the role of empathy in the development of the narcissistic personality disorder. Individual participants were classified via the questionnaire version of the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-III into four groups: (1) Narcissistic, (2) Avoidant/Dependent, (3) Personality disordered control, and (4) Normal control. There were 19 participants in each group (all were female undergraduate college students). Participants were exposed to three separate videotapes depicting three different degrees of empathy between a mother and her daughter (i.e., high, medium, and low). The low level empathy tape was designed to reflect pathological interactions between parent and child which Kohut suggests are critical in the formation of the narcissistic personality disorder.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 1994
Subjects
Kohut, Heinz $x Criticism and interpretation
Empathy
Narcissism

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