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Table 2 Summary of evidence

From: A systematic review on the relationship between antisocial, borderline and narcissistic personality disorder diagnostic traits and risk of violence to others in a clinical and forensic sample

 

Link with violence

Antisocial

Social norms

No specific reference within literature.

Deceitfulness

No specific reference within literature.

Impulsivity

Related to more violent assaults [41].

Did not directly predict aggression once emotional dysregulation was controlled for [40].

Impulsivity related to history of persistent violence [27]

Aggressiveness

Disturbed batterers more physically aggressive [7].

Aggressiveness related to ASPD and NPD diagnoses. In BPD aggressiveness linked to poor impulse control. [19].

Reckless

Related to more violent assaults [41].

Irresponsibility

No specific reference within literature.

Lack remorse

No specific reference within literature.

Borderline

Avoid abandonment

Avoidant attachment predicted severity of physical partner violence mediated by interpersonal difficulties [31].

Female offenders have greater number of traumatic experiences and less secure attachment styles [22].

ASPD and BPD diagnoses mediated path between by avoidant attachment intimate partner violence [34].

Unstable relationships

See ‘Avoid Abandonment’.

Identity disturbance

No specific reference within literature.

Impulsivity

See ‘Impulsivity’ under Antisocial diagnosis.

Suicidal behavior

No specific reference within literature.

Affective instability

Emotional Dysregulation predicted physical assault [40].

Emptiness

No specific reference within literature.

Anger

Impulsivity predicted physical aggression and trait anger. Trait anger mediates relationship between impulsivity and physical aggression. [42].

Paranoid ideation

Disturbed batterers higher levels of paranoid ideation [7].

Narcissistic

Grandiose

Link between experience grandiose delusions and serious violence. Stronger link to violence when associated with elation or anger [49].

Fantasies of success

No specific reference within literature.

Is “special”

See ‘Grandiose’.

Excessive admiration

No specific reference within literature.

Sense of entitlement

Evidence of inflated sense of entitlement linked to violent offenders. When violated more likely to be violent [18]

Exploitative

No specific reference within literature.

Lacks empathy

Violent offenders have reduced ability to recognise facial emotions [41].

Poor perspective taking exacerbated anger arousal [9].

Violent offender have poorer empathy [7].

Envious

No specific reference within literature.

Arrogant

No specific reference within literature.