Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 6, 2006, Page 27
emerging personality of cult leaders to an investigation of the emergence of narcissism and
NPD. Rather, he also will consider the possibility that some of these individuals clearly meet
minimum criteria for the DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of ASPD. Many who have written about
personality disorders have commented about diagnostic problems that arise with
overlapping criteria—for example, ASPD and NPD do have areas of intersection. In the field
of personality study, however, if a given individual meets criteria for two personality
disorders, the appropriate diagnosis is one that includes both disorders. As partial support of
the author‘s position regarding the hypothesis that some cult leaders might meet criteria for
ASPD, Oates himself reports that 3 of the 20 cult leaders that he reported on in depth were
currently in jail for major criminal offenses (Oakes, 1997, p. 8). As a cautionary comment,
however, it is worth noting that difficulties can arise in identifying more subtly presenting
antisocials, as Millon has commented on in the following:
Perhaps ‗purer‘ antisocials are quickly discerned, whereas those with more complicated or
‗devious‘ styles become apparent only after extensive evaluations. It would be this latter
group that would show a blend of high scores on scales 5 (Narcissistic) and 6A (Antisocial),
(Millon, T., Davis, R., Millon, C., 1997, pp. 81–82).
Note: For this second group of persons diagnosed with ASPD, the Narcissistic scale, the
Antisocial scale, and the Aggressiveness scale are all elevated beyond BR=75 (scores equal
to or greater than BR=75 are considered to be clinically significant when using the MCMI-III
Personality Inventory). (Also note that in analyzing a large adult male sample population (J.
Burke, Personal Communication, August, 2, 2006), persons diagnosed with ASPD and a
concurrent NPD diagnosis represent approximately 25% of all ASPD diagnoses.)
Several of Millon‘s ideas are worth considering first, that individuals with an ASPD diagnosis
theoretically can be split into two groups: a group A, which is a very pure group whose
members are relatively easy to identify, and a Group B, whose members possess more
complicated or devious styles and therefore require much more extensive evaluation before
they can be identified. Interestingly, in Millon‘s standardization study, group B, the
complicated and devious group, possesses not only clinically elevated Antisocial and
Aggressive scales, but also a clinically elevated Narcissistic scale. Millon‘s description of this
second, complicated and devious group who are not easily evaluated can perhaps be
compared to complicated and devious cult leaders who mistreat cult members and who are
correspondingly difficult to identify. Presumably, it would be difficult for cult members to
identify these group B-type antisocial cult leaders.
Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)
Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is thought to comprise a related cluster of personality
traits. Among these personality traits, two of the more prominent are dominance (exerting
influence or control over others) and aggressivity (verbal and physical aggressive acts
exhibited toward others). Blackburn (1998, p. 53) identifies the trait of aggressivity as co-
occurring with high impulsivity, and he explains that ―...a single act of aggression is not
necessarily indicative of an aggressive disposition.... Dispositions or traits are, then,
probabilistic tendencies describing average behavior over time and setting.‖ In Blackburn‘s
model, a single, isolated act of aggression does not define the aggressive disposition
rather, a repeated pattern of aggressive acts defines the aggressive disposition. Blackburn
adds that aggressivity is expressed through either verbal or physical violence and
represents an attempt to use ―coercive power‖ to control social interactions (1998, p. 53b).
A partial explanation of why antisocial personalities exhibit dominating and aggressive
behaviors can be gained from Millon‘s Dimensional Model of Personality Disorders. This
model includes a dimensional model for each of the personality disorders (Millon, T. &Davis,
R., 1996, p. 444). In the Dimensional Model of Personality Disorders, Millon hypothesizes
that persons with ASPD can be characterized as possessing a dimension of ―‗Modification‘
emerging personality of cult leaders to an investigation of the emergence of narcissism and
NPD. Rather, he also will consider the possibility that some of these individuals clearly meet
minimum criteria for the DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of ASPD. Many who have written about
personality disorders have commented about diagnostic problems that arise with
overlapping criteria—for example, ASPD and NPD do have areas of intersection. In the field
of personality study, however, if a given individual meets criteria for two personality
disorders, the appropriate diagnosis is one that includes both disorders. As partial support of
the author‘s position regarding the hypothesis that some cult leaders might meet criteria for
ASPD, Oates himself reports that 3 of the 20 cult leaders that he reported on in depth were
currently in jail for major criminal offenses (Oakes, 1997, p. 8). As a cautionary comment,
however, it is worth noting that difficulties can arise in identifying more subtly presenting
antisocials, as Millon has commented on in the following:
Perhaps ‗purer‘ antisocials are quickly discerned, whereas those with more complicated or
‗devious‘ styles become apparent only after extensive evaluations. It would be this latter
group that would show a blend of high scores on scales 5 (Narcissistic) and 6A (Antisocial),
(Millon, T., Davis, R., Millon, C., 1997, pp. 81–82).
Note: For this second group of persons diagnosed with ASPD, the Narcissistic scale, the
Antisocial scale, and the Aggressiveness scale are all elevated beyond BR=75 (scores equal
to or greater than BR=75 are considered to be clinically significant when using the MCMI-III
Personality Inventory). (Also note that in analyzing a large adult male sample population (J.
Burke, Personal Communication, August, 2, 2006), persons diagnosed with ASPD and a
concurrent NPD diagnosis represent approximately 25% of all ASPD diagnoses.)
Several of Millon‘s ideas are worth considering first, that individuals with an ASPD diagnosis
theoretically can be split into two groups: a group A, which is a very pure group whose
members are relatively easy to identify, and a Group B, whose members possess more
complicated or devious styles and therefore require much more extensive evaluation before
they can be identified. Interestingly, in Millon‘s standardization study, group B, the
complicated and devious group, possesses not only clinically elevated Antisocial and
Aggressive scales, but also a clinically elevated Narcissistic scale. Millon‘s description of this
second, complicated and devious group who are not easily evaluated can perhaps be
compared to complicated and devious cult leaders who mistreat cult members and who are
correspondingly difficult to identify. Presumably, it would be difficult for cult members to
identify these group B-type antisocial cult leaders.
Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)
Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is thought to comprise a related cluster of personality
traits. Among these personality traits, two of the more prominent are dominance (exerting
influence or control over others) and aggressivity (verbal and physical aggressive acts
exhibited toward others). Blackburn (1998, p. 53) identifies the trait of aggressivity as co-
occurring with high impulsivity, and he explains that ―...a single act of aggression is not
necessarily indicative of an aggressive disposition.... Dispositions or traits are, then,
probabilistic tendencies describing average behavior over time and setting.‖ In Blackburn‘s
model, a single, isolated act of aggression does not define the aggressive disposition
rather, a repeated pattern of aggressive acts defines the aggressive disposition. Blackburn
adds that aggressivity is expressed through either verbal or physical violence and
represents an attempt to use ―coercive power‖ to control social interactions (1998, p. 53b).
A partial explanation of why antisocial personalities exhibit dominating and aggressive
behaviors can be gained from Millon‘s Dimensional Model of Personality Disorders. This
model includes a dimensional model for each of the personality disorders (Millon, T. &Davis,
R., 1996, p. 444). In the Dimensional Model of Personality Disorders, Millon hypothesizes
that persons with ASPD can be characterized as possessing a dimension of ―‗Modification‘
