Personality disorder resulting from the self not being adequately affirmed or mirrored by a motherly object describes which type?

• A. Narcissistic personality
• B. Autistic personality
• C. Formation of identity
• D. True self

Answer: (A)

The idea tested is how early object relations shape a person’s self-structure. When a caregiver, especially the mother, does not consistently affirm and mirror the child’s experiences, the self isn’t reflected back in a way that supports a stable sense of worth. Over time, the individual builds a grandiose sense of self to compensate for that fragility, and relies on others’ admiration to maintain self-esteem. This pattern—needing external validation, showing inflated self-importance, and often lacking true empathy—maps onto narcissistic personality organization. The other terms describe different developmental concepts or outdated labels that don’t capture this dynamic of self-affirmation through mirroring.