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Chapter 11 - Psychopathy and Personality Disorders

from Section 2 - Confounding Factors and Special Populations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 June 2025

By
Joslyn K. Wallenborn  and
J. Reid Meloy
Edited by
Tyler Durns ,
Charles Scott ,
Paul Whitehead  and
Barbara E. McDermott
Tyler Durns
Affiliation:
University of Utah
Charles Scott
Affiliation:
University of California, Davis
Paul Whitehead
Affiliation:
University of Utah
Barbara E. McDermott
Affiliation:
University of California, Davis
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Summary

This chapter brings to light the salience of psychopathy and personality disorders to cult leaders and their followers. Cult leaders present with distinctive personalities that enable them to exert inordinate influence over others and to exhibit highly manipulative and remarkably destructive conduct. Within the literature on cults, narcissistic and antisocial personality disorders are among the most commonly identified character pathologies ascribed to cult leaders. However, psychopathy may be the most fitting yet least explored constellation of traits and behaviors observed in such individuals. This chapter sheds light on the neglected perspective of psychopathic cult leaders while also focusing on the Cluster B personality disorders. The corresponding psychological profile that emerges for cult followers is typified by a noteworthy comorbidity of antisocial, obsessive compulsive, and dependent personality disorders. Suggestive forensic instruments to utilize for the clinical and forensic assessment of cult leaders and their followers include the PCL-R, Rorschach, MMPI-2, and TRAP-18.

Keywords

psychopathypersonality disordercultscult leaderscult followersclinical assessmentforensic assessmentPCL-RTRAP-18RorschachMMPI-2genderviolencepsychodynamicsobject relations theory

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Type
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A Clinical and Forensic Guide to Cults and Persuasive Leadership , pp. 186 - 221
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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