Narcissistic and Psychopathic Parents And their Children: the role of parental abuse and trauma in the development of narcissistic and psychopathic personalities. Pathological narcissism is a reaction to prolonged abuse and trauma in early childhood or early adolescence. The source of the abuse or trauma is immaterial - the perpetrators could be parents, teachers, other adults, or peers. Pampering, smothering, spoiling, and "engulfing" the child are also forms of abuse.