NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY AS A MEDIATING VARIABLE IN MANIFESTATIONS OFPOSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER

This case report serves to highlight the manner in which premorbid nar cissistic personality adjustment may exacerbate the clinical expressio n of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Narcissistic personality m ay enhance vulnerability to distress at lower levels of trauma. In add ition, narcissistic needs for esteem may produce atypical presentation s of PTSD. The case history of a patient with both narcissistic person ality disorder and PTSD is presented as a means of illustrating this p henomenon.