Identifying the unique and common characteristics among the DSM-IV antisocial, borderline, and narcissistic personality disorders.

A clinical chart-review study of the Cluster B personality disorders (PDs) was conducted to evaluate the specificity of DSM-IV criteria for the Antisocial Personality Disorder (ANPD), Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). Eight-six outpatients meeting DSM-IV criteria for a PD were identified through a retrospective chart-review procedure. Records of these 86 patients were independently rated on all of the ANPD, BPD, and NPD symptom criterion for the DSM-IV. High interrater reliabilities were obtained for the presence or absence of a PD and symptom criteria for ANPD, BPD, and NPD (all kappa > or = .80). The sample consisted of ANPD (n = 20), BPD (n = 25), NPD (n = 15), and other personality disorders (OPD; Cluster A and C; n = 26). Five ANPD criteria reliably differentiated ANPD patients from BPD and NPD patients (1, 2, 3, 6, 7), and two criteria did not differentiate this group from either intracluster category (4, 5). BPD criteria also differentiated BPD patients from ANPD and NPD patients; however, the specific criteria that effectively differentiated categories were dependent on the group comparisons. BPD criteria (1, 2, 3, 6, 7) differentiated BPD and ANPD patients. BPD and NPD patients could be discriminated on other BPD criteria (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8). NPD criteria showed a similar ability to differentiate patients. NPD criteria differentiated NPD and BPD patients on DSM-IV criteria of 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9. NPD and ANPD patients could be differentiated on other NPD criteria (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9). The results of this study provide general support for the use of specific criteria for these three disorders in the differential comparison of related and unrelated PDs. The utility of items that describe essential features are discussed.