A new study focusing on adults diagnosed with relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder revealed a significant presence of vulnerable narcissistic traits in these individuals. This association remained even when controlling for cognitions related to this disorder. The paper was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology.
Relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder (ROCD) is a subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It involves individuals experiencing persistent, unwanted, and distressing thoughts concerning the strength, quality, and true nature of their relationship with their partner. Those affected by ROCD frequently seek reassurance about their relationship, doubt their love for their partner or their partner’s love for them, and obsess over perceived imperfections in their partner or the relationship itself. This obsessive focus can cause significant anxiety and emotional distress, undermining the individual’s ability to sustain a healthy, stable relationship.
Research suggests that individuals who are intensely focused on their partners, as seen in cases of ROCD, experience a rapid decrease in self-esteem when exposed to intrusive thoughts about their partner’s perceived worth. This instability in self-esteem is akin to what is observed in vulnerable narcissism, a type of narcissism marked by hypersensitivity, defensiveness, and insecurity, often concealed behind a guise of self-absorption and arrogance.
With this in mind, study author Gabriele Melli and her colleagues proposed that vulnerable narcissism might constitute a general vulnerability to ROCD. It might contribute to the development of a situation where an individual’s self-worth becomes dependent on the perceived value of the partner. They conducted a study where they explored the link between vulnerable narcissism, the links between perceived value of the partner and the evaluation of one’s own worth (partner value self-contingencies), and individuals’ obsessive preoccupations with the perceived flaws of their intimate partner.
The study involved 319 adults who reported being diagnosed with ROCD by a qualified clinician. The researchers recruited participants by sharing information about the study in OCD support groups and via an advertisement on an Italian mental health website’s ROCD page. The average age of the participants was 28 years, with 76% being women. Regarding education, 47% had a high school diploma, and 44% held a university degree. Out of these participants, 69% were single, while 28% were married or cohabiting.
Participants underwent assessments for partner-related ROCD symptoms (using the Partner‐Related Obsessive‐Compulsive Symptoms Inventory), the degree to which their self-worth was tied to their partner’s value (using the Partner Value Contingent Self-worth Scale), obsessive beliefs (using the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire), the tendency to magnify negative aspects and potential problems in their romantic relationship (using the Relationship Catastrophization Scale), and narcissism (using the Pathological Narcissism Inventory).
The results showed that the severity of partner-related ROCD symptoms was significantly linked with nearly all the other study measures, particularly with vulnerable narcissism and partner self-value contingency.
Statistical analyses identified that the strongest predictors of partner-focused ROCD symptoms included vulnerable narcissism, partner self-value contingency, and the propensity to overestimate the negative consequences of being in an unsuitable relationship. The findings also suggested that vulnerable narcissism might exacerbate the severity of partner-focused ROCD symptoms by intensifying the dependence of an individual’s self-worth on their partner’s perceived value.
“Results supported the role of vulnerable narcissistic traits and domain‐relevant self‐vulnerabilities on obsessive preoccupation with romantic partners’ perceived flaws,” the study authors concluded.
The study makes a valuable contribution to the scientific understanding of ROCD. However, it should be noted that the study design does not allow any cause-and-effect conclusions to be drawn from the data. Additionally, study authors report that, although all participants reported being diagnosed with ROCD, 9% of them did not show clinical levels of symptom severity on the ROCD assessment used in the study.
The paper, “Pathological narcissism and relationship obsessive‐compulsive disorder (ROCD) symptoms: Exploring the role of vulnerable narcissism”, was authored by Gabriele Melli, Laura Caccico, Elena Micheli, Francesco Bulli, and Guy Doron.
