My understanding of the relationship between trauma and narcissism has evolved since I wrote this article, for what I’ve realized is that it seems like any traumatic event whose primary impact is an invalidation of the ego can create a narcissistic complex that functions as a way to cope with the pain that accompanies the shattering of the self. The ego is, of course, not the self for the same reason that the menu is not the meal, which is a semiotic reason for why narcissism is pathological… but nevertheless, we must all maintain some idea of who we think we are, and any trauma that unravels this conception can create narcissistic complexes.

Developmentally speaking, however, I think that the earlier the trauma occurs in the lifespan, the more central the narcissistic complex will be to the personality, and the subsequently more difficult it will be to dissolve the narcissistic ego-attachment. Thus, to answer your question, I think it can definitely happen in adolescence, as well as adulthood; what qualifies is how the trauma impacts the sense of self, and we can theoretically be traumatized in terms of the sense of self at any time in the lifespan.

Thanks for your comment!