Narcissism can be caused by excessive pampering or neglect from parents, exposure to extreme criticism in childhood, or genetics. Children who are constantly coddled or neglected may develop this personality disorder later in life. Narcissistic parents increase the likelihood of their children developing narcissism.
There is no definitive cause of narcissism, a personality disorder in which a person has significantly higher than normal love and self-view, often to the detriment of others, and lacks empathy completely. In many cases, this disorder can be caused by parents or caregivers excessively pampering or habitually ignoring a child. It can also be caused by routine exposure to extreme criticism in childhood. Some researchers believe that some cases of narcissism are hereditary, citing genes as a direct cause or believing that some individuals are naturally more prone to developing this disorder given the appropriate circumstances.
It is often believed that extremes in parenting are one of the causes of this disorder. Children who are constantly coddled, coddled, or excessively praised may develop this personality disorder later in childhood or early adulthood. These issues, which can be one cause of narcissism, are considered outside the normal realm of parenting, even when compared to what many in society would consider overprotective or overindulgent, and tend to foster unhealthy relationships between a child and their parent or guardian.
At the other end of the spectrum is extreme emotional and physical neglect. Some psychologists believe that a child who has to constantly fend for himself, despite having adults in his or her life who should be responsible for him or her, is more likely to become a narcissist. Typically, an individual is believed to develop this exaggerated view of themselves as a coping mechanism for a lack of encouragement and genuine love in childhood. Because children typically learn empathy from the adults in their lives, a child who is not exposed to compassion may be unable to develop this ability later in life, resulting in narcissism.
One cause of narcissism can also be a constant expectation of above-average performance and criticism for any minor flaws or faults. This unrelenting criticism can lead a child to constantly seek praise and admiration from others, one of the most common symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder. It can also cause an individual to overestimate their successes in an effort to receive praise and admiration, another symptom of narcissism.
Outside of the environmental causes of narcissism, many researchers and psychologists believe genes are possibly one cause of narcissism, although it is unknown as of 2011 what traits are potentially passed down. In general, a child with a narcissistic parent is more likely to develop narcissism on their own, although whether this is due to genetics or how the child was raised is not known. While some traits commonly associated with this personality disorder are thought to be inherited, some researchers believe that an individual may naturally be more prone to developing narcissism if their childhood allows for it, even if neither parent is a narcissist.
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