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The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM 5) presents an alternate model for personality disorders, blending categorical and dimensional assessment into a hybrid diagnostic procedure. Released concurrently, the Personality Inventory for DSM 5 (PID 5) measures the five domains and 25 facets that comprise the trait components of this hybrid model. However, the PID 5 currently lacks validity indicators to capture intentionally distorted responding. The current study investigated the susceptibility of the PID 5 to defensiveness and feigning among a large sample of undergraduate students. First, a detailed desirability analysis (N = 465) was conducted of the PID 5 items and response options. Responses from the study were used to create three desirability based validity scales. Next, in a between-subjects simulation design (N = 128), the effects of faking were explored at domain and facet levels. As a result, two symptom based validity scales were created. In a separate validation sample (N = 134), the five newly created validity scales were compared with the Paulhus Deception Scales for capturing both defensiveness and feigning. All five scales were evaluated for ruling out faking (i.e., identifying likely genuine respondents) and ruling in either defensiveness or feigning. In most areas, the symptom based scales were more successful than the desirability based scales, though all scales had difficulty identifying defensiveness. These initial results offer fertile ground for additional testing and development of PID 5 validity scales.

INTRODUÇÃO: Existe a necessidade do estudo dos critérios diagnósticos compartilhados pelo DSM-IV, CID-10 e DSM-5 dentro do conceito de Transtorno do Uso de Tabaco (TUT) proposto pelo último em amostras representativas da população geral de países de média e baixa rendas. Um estudo desse tipo pode produzir dados relevantes para a operacionalização dos critérios do TUT em indivíduos brasileiros. OBJETIVOS: Testar critérios diagnósticos compartilhados pelo DSM-IV, DSM-5 e pela CID-10, que foram investigados como parte de um esforço de corroboração e aperfeiçoamento diagnóstico do conceito de TUT unidimensional proposto pelo DSM-5, que se voltou ao presente teste de hipóteses. MÉTODOS: Utilizamos o software Mplus para rodar modelos de: (i) Análise Fatorial Exploratória (AFE) para pesquisar modelos fenotípicos dimensionais; (ii) Teoria de Resposta ao Item (TRI) para analisar o grau de gravidade e discriminação comparativa entre 9 critérios do TUT com o auxílio de gráficos da função de resposta; (iii) Funcionamento Diferencial de Critério (FDC) para análise de erro de medida em subgrupos sóciodemográficos, de transtornos psiquiátricos ou de doenças clínicas; e (iv) Análise de Classes Latentes (ACL) para a pesquisa de subgrupos de indíviduos ao longo da estrutura unidimensional do TUT. RESULTADOS: Os critérios do TUT se agruparam da forma mais parcimoniosa em um modelo de 1 fator. Foi confirmada a posição do critério Given Up como o mais grave dentre os critérios do TUT, e de Larger/Longer e Physical/Psychological como tendo propriedades de alta e baixa discriminação, respectivamente. Importantemente, não foi encontrado FDC no fator unidimensional e em algum dos critérios do TUT da mesma variável externa no mesmo modelo, o que invalidaria a aplicabilidade do TUT para alguma categoria sócio-demográfica, psiquiátrica ou médica. Encontramos três agrupamentos de indivíduos (classes latentes) com progressiva sintomatologia. A classe intermediária se associou a alta renda, e mais grave aos transtornos psiquiátricos. CONCLUSÃO: O estudo explorou e reforçou a estrutura unidimensional do TUT pela primeira vez em um país de média renda, dando suporte à utilização do conceito diagnóstico unidimensional proposto pelo DSM-5, até em sub-populações classicamente mais afetadas pelo TUT, como fumantes de baixa renda, com transtornos psiquiátricos ou doenças clínicas. Porém, dentro dessa estrutura dimensional existem critérios que podem ser usados como marcadores de gravidade para localizar o fumante ao longo do continuum do TUT (Given Up e Larger/Longer). Alta renda pode ser um correlato de TUT mais leve em países de média renda, diferente do que acontece nos países de alta renda, e merece futuras investigações. A comorbidade psiquiátrica parece ser a regra para fumantes graves independentemente do grau de desenvolvimento do país / INTRODUCTION: The diagnostic criteria included in the concept of Tobacco Use Disorder (TUD), and shared by DSM-IV, ICD-10 and DSM-5, as proposed by the latter, clearly need to be studied in detail in general population representative samples of low- and middle-income countries. A study of this type could well furnish relevant data for the operationalization of TUD criteria in Brazilians. OBJECTIVES: To test diagnostic criteria shared by DSM-5, DSM-IV and ICD-10, investigated as part of an effort to corroborate and improve the unidimensional diagnosis concept of TUD proposed by DSM-5 that returned the present test of hypotheses. METHODS: We used Mplus software to run models of (i) Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to investigate dimensional phenotypic models; (ii) Item Response Theory (IRT) to analyze degrees of severity and comparative discrimination among 9 TUD criteria illustrated by response function graphs; (iii) Differential Criterion Functioning (DCF) for measurement error analysis in sociodemographic subgroups, psychiatric disorders and clinical diseases; and (iv) Latent Class Analysis (LCA) for the investigation of subgroups of individuals within the unidimensional structure of the TUD. RESULTS: TUD criteria were grouped in a one-factor model as the most parsimonious. Given Up criterion was confirmed as the most severe of the TUD criteria, and Larger/Longer and Physical/Psychological criteria as having high and low discrimination properties, respectively. Of great significance was the absence of DCF in both the one-dimensional factor and in some of the TUD criteria of the same external variable within the same model, thereby validating the applicability of TUD to socio-demographic, psychiatric and medical categories tested. We found three groups of individuals (latent classes) with progressive symptomatology. The intermediate class was associated with high income, and more severe psychiatric disorders. CONCLUSION: This study explored and reinforced the one-dimensional TUD structure for the first time in a middle-income country, supporting the use of the one-dimensional diagnostic concept as proposed by DSM-5, even in subpopulations classically more affected by TUD, such as low income, and individuals with psychiatric disorders or clinical diseases. However, within this dimensional structure, there are criteria that can be used as severity markers to locate the smoker along the continuum of TUD (i.e., Given Up and Larger/Longer). High income may be a correlate of lighter TUD in middle-income countries, different from what has been found in high-income countries, and this deserves future research. Psychiatric comorbidity seems to be the rule for serious smokers, regardless of the developmental level of the country

There has been an increase of attention placed on the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), within South Africa. This has led to a number of controversies surrounding the legitimacy of ADHD diagnoses. And how effective the systems of categorising and diagnosing disorders are in aiding a number of practitioners in formulating a disorder. There is a substantial agreement within the literature that the understanding of ADHD is limited, the focus is mainly on the symptoms of disorders. This study explores the perceptions practitioners in the field, in identifying the effectiveness of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental disorders (DSM) is for diagnosing ADHD. It became evident throughout this study that there is no consensus around the efficacy of the DSM. Furthermore, ADHD is not completely understood and therefore creates serious implications for the treatment and diagnosis of the disorder.

INTRODUÇÃO: Existe a necessidade do estudo dos critérios diagnósticos compartilhados pelo DSM-IV, CID-10 e DSM-5 dentro do conceito de Transtorno do Uso de Tabaco (TUT) proposto pelo último em amostras representativas da população geral de países de média e baixa rendas. Um estudo desse tipo pode produzir dados relevantes para a operacionalização dos critérios do TUT em indivíduos brasileiros. OBJETIVOS: Testar critérios diagnósticos compartilhados pelo DSM-IV, DSM-5 e pela CID-10, que foram investigados como parte de um esforço de corroboração e aperfeiçoamento diagnóstico do conceito de TUT unidimensional proposto pelo DSM-5, que se voltou ao presente teste de hipóteses. MÉTODOS: Utilizamos o software Mplus para rodar modelos de: (i) Análise Fatorial Exploratória (AFE) para pesquisar modelos fenotípicos dimensionais; (ii) Teoria de Resposta ao Item (TRI) para analisar o grau de gravidade e discriminação comparativa entre 9 critérios do TUT com o auxílio de gráficos da função de resposta; (iii) Funcionamento Diferencial de Critério (FDC) para análise de erro de medida em subgrupos sóciodemográficos, de transtornos psiquiátricos ou de doenças clínicas; e (iv) Análise de Classes Latentes (ACL) para a pesquisa de subgrupos de indíviduos ao longo da estrutura unidimensional do TUT. RESULTADOS: Os critérios do TUT se agruparam da forma mais parcimoniosa em um modelo de 1 fator. Foi confirmada a posição do critério Given Up como o mais grave dentre os critérios do TUT, e de Larger/Longer e Physical/Psychological como tendo propriedades de alta e baixa discriminação, respectivamente. Importantemente, não foi encontrado FDC no fator unidimensional e em algum dos critérios do TUT da mesma variável externa no mesmo modelo, o que invalidaria a aplicabilidade do TUT para alguma categoria sócio-demográfica, psiquiátrica ou médica. Encontramos três agrupamentos de indivíduos (classes latentes) com progressiva sintomatologia. A classe intermediária se associou a alta renda, e mais grave aos transtornos psiquiátricos. CONCLUSÃO: O estudo explorou e reforçou a estrutura unidimensional do TUT pela primeira vez em um país de média renda, dando suporte à utilização do conceito diagnóstico unidimensional proposto pelo DSM-5, até em sub-populações classicamente mais afetadas pelo TUT, como fumantes de baixa renda, com transtornos psiquiátricos ou doenças clínicas. Porém, dentro dessa estrutura dimensional existem critérios que podem ser usados como marcadores de gravidade para localizar o fumante ao longo do continuum do TUT (Given Up e Larger/Longer). Alta renda pode ser um correlato de TUT mais leve em países de média renda, diferente do que acontece nos países de alta renda, e merece futuras investigações. A comorbidade psiquiátrica parece ser a regra para fumantes graves independentemente do grau de desenvolvimento do país / INTRODUCTION: The diagnostic criteria included in the concept of Tobacco Use Disorder (TUD), and shared by DSM-IV, ICD-10 and DSM-5, as proposed by the latter, clearly need to be studied in detail in general population representative samples of low- and middle-income countries. A study of this type could well furnish relevant data for the operationalization of TUD criteria in Brazilians. OBJECTIVES: To test diagnostic criteria shared by DSM-5, DSM-IV and ICD-10, investigated as part of an effort to corroborate and improve the unidimensional diagnosis concept of TUD proposed by DSM-5 that returned the present test of hypotheses. METHODS: We used Mplus software to run models of (i) Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to investigate dimensional phenotypic models; (ii) Item Response Theory (IRT) to analyze degrees of severity and comparative discrimination among 9 TUD criteria illustrated by response function graphs; (iii) Differential Criterion Functioning (DCF) for measurement error analysis in sociodemographic subgroups, psychiatric disorders and clinical diseases; and (iv) Latent Class Analysis (LCA) for the investigation of subgroups of individuals within the unidimensional structure of the TUD. RESULTS: TUD criteria were grouped in a one-factor model as the most parsimonious. Given Up criterion was confirmed as the most severe of the TUD criteria, and Larger/Longer and Physical/Psychological criteria as having high and low discrimination properties, respectively. Of great significance was the absence of DCF in both the one-dimensional factor and in some of the TUD criteria of the same external variable within the same model, thereby validating the applicability of TUD to socio-demographic, psychiatric and medical categories tested. We found three groups of individuals (latent classes) with progressive symptomatology. The intermediate class was associated with high income, and more severe psychiatric disorders. CONCLUSION: This study explored and reinforced the one-dimensional TUD structure for the first time in a middle-income country, supporting the use of the one-dimensional diagnostic concept as proposed by DSM-5, even in subpopulations classically more affected by TUD, such as low income, and individuals with psychiatric disorders or clinical diseases. However, within this dimensional structure, there are criteria that can be used as severity markers to locate the smoker along the continuum of TUD (i.e., Given Up and Larger/Longer). High income may be a correlate of lighter TUD in middle-income countries, different from what has been found in high-income countries, and this deserves future research. Psychiatric comorbidity seems to be the rule for serious smokers, regardless of the developmental level of the country

BACKGROUND: The correlates of legally significant outcomes that have been identified in people with mental disorders are of limited value in understanding the mechanisms by which these outcomes occur. AIMS: To describe the relationships between mental disorder, impaired psychosocial function, and three legally significant outcomes in a representative sample of the US population. METHODS: We used a population survey, the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC-III, sample size 36,309), to identify people who self-reported serious trouble with the police or the law over the past 12 months and two lifetime outcomes, being incarcerated and engaging in violence to others. DSM-5 categories were generated using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-5. Psychosocial function was assessed using social and role-emotional function scores of the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey Version 2. RESULTS: Participants with mental disorder, but not people with no diagnosis, who reported serious trouble with the police or with the law during the previous 12 months reported significantly worse psychosocial function than those who did not report such trouble. The size of the statistical effect varied by diagnosis, moderate for some forms of mental illness and for alcohol abuse and nonsignificant for drug abuse and the personality disorders. Effect sizes were largest for diagnoses where legally significant outcomes were least common. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of impaired psychosocial function, for instance in disrupting family and social networks that would otherwise protect against these legally significant outcomes, warrants further investigation in studies with longitudinal designs.

Une comorbidité élevée existe entre les troubles de la personnalité (TPs) et les troubles liés à une substance. Certains chercheurs croient que les TPs pourraient survenir aussi de façon concomitante chez les joueurs pathologiques. Les études rapportent un taux élevé de comorbidité entre ces problématiques. Toutefois, une seule a évalué ces troubles en se basant sur les critères diagnostiques du DSM -IV et ces chercheurs n 'ont évalué que des joueurs pathologiques masculins jouant aux machines à sous et n 'ayant aucun autre diagnostic à l'axe I, ce qui limite la généralisation des résultats. Bien que les traitements psychologiques actuels pour le jeu pathologique soient efficaces, environ une personne sur deux n' arrive pas à les compléter. Certains chercheurs croient que la présence d'un TP comorbide pourrait expliquer en partie ces abandons, puisque les TPs comorbides s'avèrent prédicteurs de l'abandon du traitement chez les patients souffrant de divers troubles mentaux. Aucune étude n'a encore évalué cette question chez les joueurs pathologiques. La présente étude vise à identifier la présence et le type de TPs chez les joueurs pathologiques qui amorcent un traitement psychologique en clinique externe d'après les critères du DSM-IV. Elle vise aussi à déterminer si la présence d'un TP comorbide s'avère une variable prédictive de l'abandon du traitement chez cette clientèle. Cent (N= 100) joueurs ont été recrutés dans les différents milieux cliniques au Québec. Ils ont été évalués à l'aide de l'Entrevue diagnostique sur le jeu pathologique-révisée (EDJP-R), l'Entrevue diagnostique du jeu pathologique du DSM-IV, de l'Entrevue diagnostique et clinique semistructurée pour les Troubles de l'axe II (SCID-II) et d'un questionnaire sociodémographique avant le début du traitement. Les intervenants ont rempli le Questionnaire d'arrêt de la démarche thérapeutique (QADT), afin de classifier les participants comme ayant abandonné le traitement ou ayant complété ce dernier. Les données recueillies indiquent que 64% des joueurs présentent un TP comorbide à leur entrée en traitement. Les TPs les plus fréquents seraient ceux provenant du groupe B selon le DSM-IV. La présence d'au moins un TP comorbide du groupe B serait un prédicteur statistiquement significatif de l'abandon du traitement chez cette clientèle.

Introdução: Pouco se conhece sobre Transtorno Específico de Aprendizagem (TEA), principalmente em países de baixa e média renda (PBMR) e muito menos em amostras representativas de escolas de cidades pequenas fora de grandes centros urbanos. Poucos estudos enfatizaram os novos critérios do DSM-5 para TEA. Investigamos a prevalência do Transtorno Específico de Aprendizagem de acordo com a nova classificação do DSM-5, suas comorbidades e correlatos em amostras escolares de alunos do 2º ao 6º ano que moram em cidades de tamanho médio de quatro regiões geográficas do Brasil (norte, nordeste, centro-oeste e sudeste). Métodos: O rendimento acadêmico foi medido pelo Teste de Desempenho Escolar. Os diagnósticos psiquiátricos foram avaliados pelo K-SADS-PL com informações obtidas do cuidador primário e o QI foi estimado por subtestes do WISC-III. Resultados: Um total de 1.618 crianças e adolescentes foram incluídas no estudo. As taxas de prevalência encontradas de Transtorno Específico de Aprendizagem foram: 7,6% para comprometimento global, 5,4% para comprometimento na escrita, 6,0% para comprometimento na área da aritmética, e 7,5% para comprometimento na leitura. Diferenças significativas foram detectadas nas taxas de prevalência entre as cidades (p < 0,001). O Transtorno de Déficit de Atenção e Hiperatividade (TDAH) foi o único transtorno mental comórbido com associação significativa com TEA com comprometimento global (8,2%; p=0,031). Transtornos de ansiedade, TDAH e o grupo Qualquer Transtorno Mental foram associados com TEA com comprometimento na aritmética (13,8% com p=0,008; 12,4% com p < 0,001; 25,6% com p < 0,001, respectivamente). Inúmeros correlatos sóciodemográficos (idade (p=0,018), cidade (p=0,004), status sócio-econômico (p=0,007), gênero (p=0,011), e QI (p < 0,001)) foram associados com Transtorno Específico de Aprendizagem com comprometimento global na amostra. Conclusões: A validação e normatização de instrumentos que avaliem o desempenho acadêmico é ainda um grande problema em inúmeros países, mas principalmente naqueles de baixa e média renda (PBMR). Como esperado, foi encontrado uma significativa heterogeneidade nas taxas de prevalência de TEA entre as diferentes regiões geográficas do Brasil, sendo esse um país com forte diversidade. TEA com comprometimento global e em aritmética foram significativamente associados com comorbidades psiquiátricas. Todos correlatos avaliados (idade, cidade, status sócioeconômico, gênero, e QI) foram significativamente associados com TEA com comprometimento global / Introduction: Little is known about Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs), and even less from representative school samples in small size cities outside huge urban centers. Few studies addressed the new DSM-5 criteria for SLDs. We investigated the prevalence of DSM-5 SLDs, their comorbidities and correlates in school samples of students from the 2nd to 6th grades living in median cities from 4 different geographic regions in Brazil (north, northeast, central and southeast). Methods: A national test for academic performance (TDE) covering reading, writing and mathematical abilities was applied. Psychiatric diagnoses were assessed by the K-SADS-PL applied to the primary caregiver, and IQ was estimated by WISC-III subtests. Results: A total of 1,618 children and adolescents were included in the study. The following prevalence rates of SLDs were found: 7.6% for global impairment, 5.4% for writing, 6.0% for arithmetic and 7.5% for reading impairment. Significant differences were detected in prevalence rates among cities (p < 0.001). Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was the only comorbidity significantly associated with SLD with global impairment (8.2%; p=0.031). Anxiety Disorders, ADHD and the group Any Mental Disorder (13.8% with p=0.008; 12.4% with p < 0.001; 25.6% with p < 0.001, respectively) were associated with SLD with arithmetic impairment. Several socio-demographic correlates (age (p=0.018), city (p=0.004), socioeconomic status (p=0.007), gender (p=0.011), and IQ (p < 0.001)) were significantly associated with SLD with global impairment in our sample. Conclusions: Careful validation and normatization of instruments to assess academic performance is a major problem in LMICs. As expected, we found a significant heterogeneity in prevalence rates of SLD according to geographic regions considering that Brazil is a country with a robust diversity. SLD with global and arithmetic impairment were significantly associated with psychiatric comorbidities. All correlates investigated (age, city, socioeconomic status, gender, and IQ) were significantly associated with SLD with global impairment

Introdução: Pouco se conhece sobre Transtorno Específico de Aprendizagem (TEA), principalmente em países de baixa e média renda (PBMR) e muito menos em amostras representativas de escolas de cidades pequenas fora de grandes centros urbanos. Poucos estudos enfatizaram os novos critérios do DSM-5 para TEA. Investigamos a prevalência do Transtorno Específico de Aprendizagem de acordo com a nova classificação do DSM-5, suas comorbidades e correlatos em amostras escolares de alunos do 2º ao 6º ano que moram em cidades de tamanho médio de quatro regiões geográficas do Brasil (norte, nordeste, centro-oeste e sudeste). Métodos: O rendimento acadêmico foi medido pelo Teste de Desempenho Escolar. Os diagnósticos psiquiátricos foram avaliados pelo K-SADS-PL com informações obtidas do cuidador primário e o QI foi estimado por subtestes do WISC-III. Resultados: Um total de 1.618 crianças e adolescentes foram incluídas no estudo. As taxas de prevalência encontradas de Transtorno Específico de Aprendizagem foram: 7,6% para comprometimento global, 5,4% para comprometimento na escrita, 6,0% para comprometimento na área da aritmética, e 7,5% para comprometimento na leitura. Diferenças significativas foram detectadas nas taxas de prevalência entre as cidades (p < 0,001). O Transtorno de Déficit de Atenção e Hiperatividade (TDAH) foi o único transtorno mental comórbido com associação significativa com TEA com comprometimento global (8,2%; p=0,031). Transtornos de ansiedade, TDAH e o grupo Qualquer Transtorno Mental foram associados com TEA com comprometimento na aritmética (13,8% com p=0,008; 12,4% com p < 0,001; 25,6% com p < 0,001, respectivamente). Inúmeros correlatos sóciodemográficos (idade (p=0,018), cidade (p=0,004), status sócio-econômico (p=0,007), gênero (p=0,011), e QI (p < 0,001)) foram associados com Transtorno Específico de Aprendizagem com comprometimento global na amostra. Conclusões: A validação e normatização de instrumentos que avaliem o desempenho acadêmico é ainda um grande problema em inúmeros países, mas principalmente naqueles de baixa e média renda (PBMR). Como esperado, foi encontrado uma significativa heterogeneidade nas taxas de prevalência de TEA entre as diferentes regiões geográficas do Brasil, sendo esse um país com forte diversidade. TEA com comprometimento global e em aritmética foram significativamente associados com comorbidades psiquiátricas. Todos correlatos avaliados (idade, cidade, status sócioeconômico, gênero, e QI) foram significativamente associados com TEA com comprometimento global / Introduction: Little is known about Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs), and even less from representative school samples in small size cities outside huge urban centers. Few studies addressed the new DSM-5 criteria for SLDs. We investigated the prevalence of DSM-5 SLDs, their comorbidities and correlates in school samples of students from the 2nd to 6th grades living in median cities from 4 different geographic regions in Brazil (north, northeast, central and southeast). Methods: A national test for academic performance (TDE) covering reading, writing and mathematical abilities was applied. Psychiatric diagnoses were assessed by the K-SADS-PL applied to the primary caregiver, and IQ was estimated by WISC-III subtests. Results: A total of 1,618 children and adolescents were included in the study. The following prevalence rates of SLDs were found: 7.6% for global impairment, 5.4% for writing, 6.0% for arithmetic and 7.5% for reading impairment. Significant differences were detected in prevalence rates among cities (p < 0.001). Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was the only comorbidity significantly associated with SLD with global impairment (8.2%; p=0.031). Anxiety Disorders, ADHD and the group Any Mental Disorder (13.8% with p=0.008; 12.4% with p < 0.001; 25.6% with p < 0.001, respectively) were associated with SLD with arithmetic impairment. Several socio-demographic correlates (age (p=0.018), city (p=0.004), socioeconomic status (p=0.007), gender (p=0.011), and IQ (p < 0.001)) were significantly associated with SLD with global impairment in our sample. Conclusions: Careful validation and normatization of instruments to assess academic performance is a major problem in LMICs. As expected, we found a significant heterogeneity in prevalence rates of SLD according to geographic regions considering that Brazil is a country with a robust diversity. SLD with global and arithmetic impairment were significantly associated with psychiatric comorbidities. All correlates investigated (age, city, socioeconomic status, gender, and IQ) were significantly associated with SLD with global impairment

“The relationship between the criminal and victim is much more complicated than the law would care to acknowledge. The criminal and his victim work on each other unconsciously. We can say that as the criminal shapes the victim, the victim also shapes the criminal. The law differentiates distinctly between the attacker and the victim. But their relationship may be, and often is, quite close, so that their roles are reversed and the victim becomes the determining person, while the [victimiser] in the end becomes his own victim.” (Abrahamsen, 1973:35). This research was directed at establishing whether narcissistic individuals will go to extreme levels of violence, specifically murder, if their self-image is threatened. The aim was to determine the extent of pre-existing narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) in these individuals and how this contributed to the murderous action they committed. Emphasis was placed on the psychological motivation of the perpetrator, as well as the relationship that existed between the perpetrator and the victim prior to the event. As the subject of the research was a relatively unknown phenomenon, a qualitative research approach was used. The research focused on analysing specific cases of murder, more particularly cases where rage-type murders were committed. It endeavoured to identify the underlying personality dynamics to determine whether an association between rage-type murder and NPD exists. Case studies illustrating rage-type murderers who had been admitted to Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital for a 30-day observation period were identified and analysed. These cases were selected through reviewing the case history of each individual to determine whether the murder fitted the outlined definition of a rage-type murder. The cases that met the outlined requirements were deemed suitable for the purpose of the research, where after the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) results of the selected cases were examined to determine the personality organisation of the individuals. This information was then used to determine the possible association between NPD and rage-type murder. The MMPI-2 was selected as the assessment tool as it is the most widely used personality assessment available. For the purposes of this research a two-point code type was used to indicate the presence of narcissistic personality traits. A two-point code type implies an elevation of two scales, for the purposes of this research specifically the Pd (Psychopathic deviance) scale and the Pa (Paranoia) scale, also referred to as the 4-6/6-4 code type. As interpretation based only on a two-scale elevation was considered to be overly simplistic, all the MMPI-2 clinical scales were interpreted independently, and a clinical interpretation provided in the context of each individual’s background. The 4-6/6-4 code type individual was used to indicate whether the individuals did have narcissistic personality traits, and thus were classified as having NPD. Nine cases were identified of individuals thought to be rage-type murderers, who were admitted for a 30-day period of psychiatric observation to Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital in Pretoria. Only five cases were acknowledged as rage-type murders. All the cases selected were referred to Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital by order of the court and involved males over the age of 20 years. The individuals involved were admitted to the Forensic Unit of the hospital and were subjected to standard psychiatric hospital observations, which included psychiatric interviews, psychological interviews, psychological testing, as well as general behavioural observations in the ward. All the information obtained during the standard psychiatric hospital observations is held in the clinical case files in the archives at the hospital. All the standard psychiatric hospital observation evaluations were completed prior to the initiation of the research, and the case records had been closed. Although more research is necessary, this research has established an association between the selected cases of rage-type murder and NPD and there is historic documented evidence suggesting that individuals with NPD will most likely react in a similar manner in similar circumstances, as a result of their underlying personality disorder. This suggests that incarceration in a correctional facility is not the most appropriate place to rehabilitate individuals. It also serves as support to why a person with NPD who commits a rage-type murder should be acquitted because of their personality disorder and subsequently be committed to a psychiatric facility as a patient of the state president. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted