Shame-proneness touches the relationship between pathological narcissism and suicide ideation

Suicidal ideation and behavior have a marked prevalence in several cluster B personality \ndisorders (e.g., Borderline and narcissistic personality disorders according to the last versions \nof the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders), compared to others. Intense \nfeelings of shame can often be found in individuals with narcissistic personality disorder and \nmay play a role in suicidal behavior. To explore the relationship between narcissism, shame \nand suicide ideation, Pathological Narcissism Inventory, Test of Self Conscious Affects and \nBeck Scale for Suicidal Ideation were administered to a sample of individuals with suicide \nideation (N=68; Mage=35,18, SD=15,62; 44,1% males) and a sample of community \nparticipants (N=153; Mage=27,41, SD=12,17; 41,2% males). Controlling for age and gender, \nwe found that Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation scores were significantly associated with \nnarcissistic vulnerability and interpersonal shame. In the clinical sample, interpersonal shame partially mediated the relationship between the vulnerability facet of narcissism and suicidal \nideation. Shame seems to have a crucial role in the relationship between the vulnerability \nfacet of narcissism and suicidal ideation, although its complex influence remains to be \nunderstood. Clinicians may want to pay attention to intense shame feelings in individuals with \nvulnerable narcissism that may lead to decompensation and increase suicide risk.