Which statement reflects the management when working with narcissistic PD?

• A. Avoid becoming the object of dependency
• B. Encourage the client to depend on you
• C. Support their need for constant admiration
• D. Ignore boundaries

Answer: (A)

In working with narcissistic personality disorder, keeping professional boundaries and not becoming the person the client depends on is essential. Narcissistic individuals rely on others for admiration and validation to support their self-image; if the clinician becomes the object of dependency, it can reinforce their sense of entitlement and control, blur therapeutic roles, and undermine objective treatment.

This approach helps maintain a stable, structure-based therapy focused on the client’s behaviors and patterns rather than on feeding their need for praise or control. It also protects against countertransference and burnout, since the therapist isn’t getting drawn into an role that sustains the client’s maladaptive dynamics.

The other options would tend to reinforce unhealthy patterns—encouraging dependency, seeking constant admiration, or ignoring boundaries—none of which support effective treatment or ethical practice.