DSM-III-R Criteria For Sadistic Personality Disorder
- A) A pervasive pattern of cruel, demeaning and aggressive behavior, beginning by early adulthood, as indicated by the repeated occurrence of at least four of the following:
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- Has used physical cruelty or violence for the purpose of establishing dominance in a relationship (not merely to achieve some noninterpersonal goal, such as striking someone in order to rob him or her)
- Humiliates or demeans people in the presence of others
- Has treated or disciplined someone under his or her control unusually harshly (e.g., a child, student, prisoner, or patient)
- Is amused by, or takes pleasure in, the psychological or physical suffering of others (including animals)
- Has lied for the purpose of harming or inflicting pain on others (not merely to achieve some other goal)
- Gets other people to do what he or she wants by frightening them (through intimidation or even terror)
- Restricts the autonomy of people with whom he or she has close relationship (e.g., will not let spouse leave the house unaccompanied or permit teenage daughter to attend social functions)
- Is fascinated by violence, weapons, martial arts, injury, or torture
- B) The behavior in A has not been directed toward only one person (e.g., spouse, one child) and has not been solely for the purpose of sexual arousal (as in Sexual Sadism)
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