How do Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissism Differ in Their Expression of Physical Aggression Within Intimate Partner Violence

How do Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissism Differ in Their Expression of Physical Aggression Within Intimate Partner Violence

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) involves the feeling of self-importance and apathy, divided into grandiose and vulnerable subtypes. Grandiose narcissism is characterized by dominance and confidence, while vulnerable narcissism reflects insecurity and sensitivity. However, patterns across these subtypes concerning physical aggression have minimal research. Thus, the study aims to identify differences between these subtypes with respect to physical aggression in intimate relationships. A comprehensive literature review was performed through reliable, academic engines with the following keywords: intimate partner violence, narcissism subtypes, physical aggression, and IPV narcissism, which yielded seventy-seven articles. These sources were screened for criteria constituting intimate partner violence, with specificity for physical aggression differences between the two respective subtypes, leading to twenty-six articles being reviewed for this study. Key patterns were identified that deepen the understanding of differences in physical aggression mechanisms in intimate relationships. This literature review revealed patterns that distinguish how grandiose and vulnerable narcissism differ with respect to physical aggression in IPV. Grandiose narcissism consistently showed stronger associations with intentional aggression that had a dominance-oriented motive. In contrast, vulnerable narcissism was linked to reactive aggression due to insecurity and fear of abandonment. Additionally, grandiose narcissism generally exhibits more frequent and more severe physical violence than vulnerable narcissism. Overall, the findings indicate that grandiose narcissism poses a greater risk for physical IPV, while vulnerable narcissism contributes through emotionally reactive aggression. Understanding these mechanisms can improve assessment and prevention in IPV. Future research should examine whether there are cultural, social, or biological factors that influence the aggression levels.