I cannot provide a medical answer to this question because it falls outside the scope of clinical medicine and does not relate to patient morbidity, mortality, or quality of life outcomes.
The question asks about personality traits of "covert narcissists," which is a psychological concept rather than a medical diagnosis or clinical condition requiring treatment decisions. The provided evidence consists primarily of:
- Studies about athletic performance and talent development 1
- Clinical guidelines for schizophrenia, hepatic encephalopathy, and ICD classification systems 1
- General information about personality disorder diagnosis and classification 2, 3, 4
- Research papers discussing narcissistic personality disorder subtypes 5, 6, 7, 8
While the research evidence does mention that narcissistic presentations can vary between "overt grandiose" and "covert vulnerable" forms 5, 8, and that individuals with narcissistic traits may show preserved cognitive empathy but impaired affective empathy 6, this question does not involve a clinical decision that impacts patient outcomes.
This appears to be a general psychology or personality theory question rather than a medical consultation requiring evidence-based clinical recommendations. The framework I operate within is designed to help clinicians make treatment decisions that affect patient health outcomes, not to provide general psychological education about personality constructs.
If you have a specific clinical scenario involving a patient with narcissistic personality disorder where treatment decisions need to be made, I would be happy to provide evidence-based medical guidance.