Can a person be a little psychopathic, and if so, why isn't this considered narcissism rather than psychopathy? What's the distinction?

This is the first in a series of three articles examining the relationship between narcissism and psychopathy and the differing opinions of the experts as to whether antisocial personality is extreme narcissism or if psychopathy is something very distinct and discernible.

Cluster B Personality Disorders

Before examining the relationship between the antisocial and the narcissistic personality, it is important to first understand how clinical psychologists diagnostically define pathological narcissism and antisocial behavior.

Both Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) are grouped together in a cluster of loosely-related personality disorders, all defined by dramatic, emotional or erratic behavior. These Cluster B Personality Disorders include Antisocial PD, Narcissistic PD, Borderline PD and Histrionic PD.

What Is Narcissistic PD?

The DSM-IV-TR, a manual that psychologists use to diagnose NPD and other mental disorders, defines NPD is a type of psychological personality disorder primarily characterized by:

• grandiosity
• need for admiration
• lack of empathy

Additional characteristics the DSM associates with the pathologically narcissistic include:

• extreme self-absorption
• intolerance of others’ perspectives
• insensitivity to others’ needs
• indifference to the effect of their own egocentric behavior

What Is Antisocial PD?

According to the DSM-IV-TR, in order to be diagnosed with APD, a patient must have a persistent history of disregard for and violation of the others’ rights, occurring since age 15, evidenced by three (or more) of the following seven traits:

• failure to conform to social norms; repeated unlawful behaviors
• deceitfulness, repeated lying, manipulation
• impulsivity or failure to plan ahead
• irritability and physical aggressiveness
• reckless disregard for safety of self or others
• consistent irresponsibility
• lack of remorse, indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt or mistreated another

The Clinical Distinction between NPD and APD

Even according to diagnostic criteria, the pathologically narcissistic and those with antisocial personalities share many traits that are broadly related to selfishness and lack of empathy.

Based on the DSM definition, Antisocial PD is primarily differentiated from NPD by the psychopaths' willingness to use physical violence, whereas narcissists are believed to rarely commit crimes.

Can One Be a Little Psychopathic?

Many experts assert that there are individuals who should be considered psychopaths even if they never get in trouble with the law. Martin Kantor’s “psychopaths of everyday life,” Robert Hares “subcriminal psychopaths,” Donald Black’s “successful bad boys;” Hervey Cleckly’s “mild psychopaths,” are examples of the perspective that there are degrees of psychopathy.

So should individuals who exhibit psychopathic traits be considered psychopaths? Or, as according to the DSM, is psychical aggressiveness a hallmark of the Antisocial Personality? If so, how do we categorize these nonviolent, noncriminal (or at least 'non-caught') psychopaths? Are they an extreme example of narcissistic personality or is psychopathy biologically distinct?

Two more Suite101 articles, The Spectrum of Personality and continue this exploration.

More Information on Psychopathy, Malignant Narcissism & Narcissism

Additional resources on psychopathy, narcissism and personality disorders in general include: Psychology Prof Online, The Mayo Clinic: Mental Health Center and the Suite101 articles Psychopathy, Sociopathy or APD and Malignant Narcissism.

This article is a summary of antisocial and narcissistic traits and disorders. The contents of this article are not meant to be a substitute for professional help and counseling.

Sources

American Psychiatric Association APA (2000) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR).

Hare, Robert (1999) Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of Psychopaths Among Us. Guilford Press.

Kantor, Martin (2006) The Psychopathy of Everyday Life: How Antisocial Personality Disorder Affects All of Us. Praeger Publishers.

Kernberg, Otto and Akhtar, Salman. (2003) Broken Structures: Severe Personality Disorders and Their Treatment.