Parental Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissism and Helicopter Parenting: Mediation Through Parent Separation Anxiety and Parental Contingent Self-Worth

Abstract

The mediational role of parental contingent self-worth and maternal separation anxiety between maternal reports of narcissism (grandiose: assertive/extroverted and antagonistic/disagreeable; vulnerable: vulnerable/neurotic narcissism) and mothers’ and emerging adults’ reports of overparenting (n = 243 dyads) was investigated. Given the theoretical differences between assertive/extroverted, antagonistic/disagreeable, and vulnerable/neurotic forms of narcissism, mothers’ reports of assertive/extroverted, antagonistic/disagreeable, and vulnerable/neurotic narcissism were hypothesized to be mediated by parental contingent self-worth in predicting overparenting, and the association between vulnerable/neurotic narcissism and overparenting was hypothesized to work through parent separation anxiety. Results generally supported hypotheses. Structural equation models revealed that narcissistic assertive/extroverted and antagonistic/disagreeable forms of narcissism were positively and directly associated with maternal reports of overparenting, as expected, and they were partially mediated through parental contingent self-esteem. Maternal assertive/extroverted and vulnerable/neurotic narcissism were linked to overparenting via parental contingent self-worth and maternal separation anxiety. Similar patterns appeared for emerging adults’ reports of overparenting. Results are discussed in terms of narcissistic mothers’ use of overparenting as a tactic to control, ensure self-validation, and maintain child dependency of their emerging adults.