Different coping strategies amongst individuals with grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits

•Grandiose and vulnerable narcissism traits predict behavioural disengagement responses to stress.•Vulnerable narcissism traits predict the use of denial as coping with stress response.•Further evidence of the discriminant validity of the Pathological Narcissism Inventory is provided.

ObjectiveThis study explored the relationships between coping with stress responses and grandiose and vulnerable narcissist traits.MethodA community sample of 170 adults (113 female) participated in this study. A cross-sectional design was employed that utilized self-report measures of trait anxiety, social desirability, coping with stress responses, and pathological narcissism.ResultsRegression models indicated that both grandiose and vulnerable narcissism traits are significantly associated with, in opposing directions, behavioural disengagement responses to stress when controlling for trait anxiety and social desirability. Vulnerable narcissism traits were significantly associated with the use of denial as coping with stress response when controlling for the same factors.ConclusionThese findings provide further evidence of the discriminant validity of the Pathological Narcissism Inventory and inform our understanding of the differences that grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits have on coping.