Gabbard · Annals of general psychiatry 2022 · narrative review · n=?

Narcissism and suicide risk.

Cited 32 times in the scientific literature.

Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data

Narrative review without systematic methodology or primary human data.

PubMed 35065658 · doi:10.1186/s12991-022-00380-8 · record verified 2026-08-31

What was done

This narrative review synthesized clinical concepts regarding narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), covering diagnostic subtypes, proposed biological and psychological etiologies, psychotherapeutic engagement challenges, and suicide risk.

What was found

The abstract reports no empirical numbers, statistics, or effect sizes. It outlines three clinical subtypes of NPD (grandiose/oblivious, vulnerable/hypervigilant, and high-functioning) and describes suicide risk as particularly relevant following severe narcissistic injury involving experiences of shame or vilification.

Why it matters

It emphasizes that despite the therapeutic challenges and frustration in engaging patients with NPD, clinicians must remain involved due to the risk of suicide associated with underlying vulnerabilities.

Limits

The paper is a narrative overview without systematic search methodology, meta-analytic pooling, or primary data. The abstract provides no sample sizes, effect estimates, or details on specific patient populations.

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