Do narcissists ruin relationships over time? A six-year study suggests a more complex pattern
Why it matters: The findings help clinicians understand why some relationships struggle and how personality traits shape partner well-being.
- Michigan State University research, published in the Journal of Personality, tracked over 5,000 couples for up to six years to study the long-term effects of narcissism.
- Gwendolyn Seidman, lead author, explains that narcissists maintain self-perception through 'narcissistic admiration' (impressing others) or 'narcissistic rivalry' (putting others down).
- Narcissistic rivalry traits were consistently associated with lower relationship satisfaction for both partners, but narcissistic admiration had no meaningful impact on satisfaction.
- The study found no steeper decline in relationship satisfaction over time for couples with a narcissistic partner, challenging the idea of a gradual deterioration and suggesting the 'honeymoon' phase might be longer or harm manifests in other ways like eroding self-esteem.
New research from Michigan State University challenges the common belief that narcissists inevitably ruin relationships over time, suggesting a more complex dynamic. While narcissistic rivalry consistently links to lower relationship satisfaction for both partners, narcissistic admiration shows no significant effect, and the rate of decline in satisfaction isn't steeper for couples with a narcissistic partner.
