Description Of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

1543 Words4 Pages

Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Walking down the street, a girl pauses to take a selfie. A boy posts on social media that he gains five pounds in muscle. Every little league teammate receives a trophy for participation. America’s culture seems to encourage egotistical behavior beginning at a young age; however, when these behaviors are continued into adulthood, they are considered narcissists. It is common to hear people labelling others that exhibit a little self-esteem as narcissistic. The frequent use of the term narcissism takes away from the true meaning of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). In order to re-establish the actual meaning of narcissism, this paper will review the diagnostic criteria, major characteristics, etiology, and treatment implications. Ultimately, the reader will develop a clear understanding of NPD and will end with the proper knowledge in order to educate others.
Diagnostic Criteria
Prior to the release of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013), there was controversy about removing NPD as a diagnosis (Nelson, 2013). Alterations were made to the criteria for many of the disorders; however, NPD remained unchanged and was kept in the DSM-5. In order for a person to receive a diagnosis of NPD, they must meet the criteria listed in the DSM-5. The DSM-5 describes NPD as the following:
A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
1. Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognize...

... middle of paper ...

...ogical Assessment, doi:10.1037/a0036613
Nelson, C. (2013). Narcissistic personality disorder: Not even a diagnosis in 2013!. Journal of Psychohistory, 40, 293-305. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.library3. webster.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=346baa13-4fac-4209-9335 fd5347
04e1d7%40sessionmgr112&vid=8&hid=123
Skodol, A. E., Bender, D. S., & Morey, L. C. (2013). Narcissistic personality disorder in dsm-5. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, doi:10.1037/per0000023
Washburn, J. J., & Paskar, L. D. (2011). Moving beyond parents in the etiology of narcissistic traits. In C. T. Barry, P. K. Kerig, K. K. Stellwagen, & T. D. Barry (Eds.), Narcissism and machiavellianism in youth: Implications for the development of adaptive and maladaptive behavior (pp. 145-157). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/12352-008

Open Document