Is the Link Between Pathological Narcissism and Poor Romantic Trust Explained by Rivalry?

Despite strong theoretical assertions regarding the lack of interpersonal trust of individuals with narcissistic personality disorder, little is known about the relationship between pathological narcissism and faith in romantic partners, a key component of trust reflecting confidence in the partner’s responsiveness regardless of future uncertainty. Moreover, the potential role of rivalry in this context has not been investigated yet. We administered to a large sample of Italian adults the Trust Scale (Faith subscale), the Pathological Narcissism Inventory, and the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire. Analyses showed that faith levels were negatively associated with vulnerable narcissism, and rivalry was positively associated with both vulnerable and grandiose narcissism. Results from structural equation modeling evidenced that rivalry partially accounts for the relationship between vulnerable narcissism and faith in the romantic partner. These findings suggest that targeting rivalry behaviors in therapeutic settings may improve faith dynamics in romantic relationships involving vulnerable narcissistic traits.