ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the relevant contributions to the theory of narcissism in order to clarify the diagnostic category narcissistic personality disorder. The definition of narcissistic personality disorder presented to elucidate this heuristically valuable diagnostic designation while preserving an appreciation of the ubiquitous nature of narcissism in the “character” of the ego. Sigmund Freud’s uses of the term narcissism he employed the term sparingly with reference to diagnosis. In 1914, he used narcissistic neurosis to describe patients who today would be labeled schizophrenic. The unclarity with regard to diagnosis is related to the fact that many analysts, feeling that the contributions of O. Kernberg and H. Kohut are significant and creative, have attempted to integrate and preserve the contributions of both authors. There is heuristic value in maintaining the diagnostic designation narcissistic personality disorder, but it should be integrated with Freud’s observation of man’s ubiquitous defensive attempt to preserve illusions of his primary narcissism.
