Wives’ perception of sexual relationship with narcissistic men: Results of a qualitative thematic analysis with Iranian women

Background and aims: Many studies have investigated the interpersonal dimensions of narcissism, though women’s perceptions of sexual relationship with a narcissistic individual have rarely been the topic of interest. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the sexual lived experiences of women living with narcissistic men. Methods: To this end, a qualitative thematic analysis was used to have a better understanding of the concept. A total of 31 women were selected through convenience sampling technique and were interviewed using a semistructured interview, all of whom were living with their narcissistic husbands. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by thematic analysis. Results: Based on the findings of this study, two main themes emerged during data analysis. First, women found their sexual relationship with a narcissistic man insecure, as well as the perception that their relationship was onesided and demanding. In addition, the insecured relationship comprised several subthemes including the lack of sexual intimacy, sexual aggression and unwanted sex, and low commitment. The other main themes contained two subthemes, namely, unrealistic and excessive expectations from the spouse and the relationship and the lack of responsibility and cooperation of the husband. Conclusion: This study was mainly focused on sexuality in living with a narcissistic person and the results showed that sex is strongly influenced by the consequences of narcissism. This study also has some research and clinical implications for future research.