“I Will Love You (Me) Forever”—A Longitudinal Study of Narcissism and Emotional Adjustment During the Transition to Motherhood

The aim of this study is to examine the differential implications of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism for women’s adjustment during the transition to motherhood. A total of 385 Israeli women participated in the study during their pregnancy (Time 1) and 2 months postpartum (Time 2). Participants filled out a battery of questionnaires assessing their levels of narcissism (Time 1), the body experience during pregnancy (Time 1) and motherhood (Time 2), their attachment to the fetus (Time 1) and to the baby (Time 2), their anticipated maternal self-efficacy (Time 1) and maternal self-efficacy (Time 2), and their subjective well-being (Time 2). Results suggest that grandiose narcissism was associated with higher levels of well-being at Time 2 through the mediation of both attachment to the infant at Time 1 and bonding to the baby at Time 2 and through positive body experience at Time 2. Vulnerable narcissism was associated with lower levels of well-being at Time 2 through the mediation of body experience and maternal self-efficacy at Time 1 and Time 2 and attachment to the infant at Time 2. These findings point to the significant and differential role of vulnerable and grandiose narcissism in the adjustment to motherhood through the mediating role of early motherhood tasks.