The Rorschach Test: An Investigative Tool for Assessing Parenting Skills in Narcissistic Personality Disorder

In the Italian legislative system, the technical assessment by an expert appointed by the court is conceived as a psychological and psychodiagnostic investigation aimed at exploring the relational situation between the various members of the family, in particular between parents and children, and assessing the parental suitability for providing the judge with useful indications for the protection of the child's welfare. Given the increasing importance attached to the quality of the parent-child relationship, a wide debate has opened in the scientific literature regarding the concept of parenting skills. These are seen in the light of evolving development processes, necessarily influenced by the personological style of the subject. The complexity of mental processes has led psychology to use increasingly refined techniques in order to expand the cognitive data related to the study of personality development. These techniques certainly include the Projective Tests, with the Rorschach Test in particular being recognized as the most accurate and "reliable" scientific tool for assessing personality as well as cognitive, affective-adaptive, and relational functions of the individual. The purpose of the research study discussed in this presentation is to observe, investigate and demonstrate through the Rorschach Test how narcissistic personality disorder specifically, negatively affects parenting skills.