Narcissistic personality disorder Walking down the street, a girl stops to take a selfie. A guy posts on social media that he has gained five pounds of muscle. Each Little League teammate receives a trophy for participation. American culture seems to encourage selfish behavior from a young age; however, when these behaviors continue into adulthood, they are considered narcissistic. It's common to hear people label others who show little self-esteem as narcissists. The frequent use of the term narcissism takes away the true meaning of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). In order to re-establish the real meaning of narcissism, this article will examine the diagnostic criteria, main characteristics, etiology and treatment implications. Ultimately, the reader will develop a clear understanding of NPD and end up with the proper knowledge to educate others. Diagnostic Criteria Prior to the publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013), there was controversy over the removal of NPD from the diagnosis (Nelson, 2013). Changes have been made to the criteria for many disorders; however, NPD remained unchanged and was retained in DSM-5. In order for a person to receive a diagnosis of NPD, they must meet the criteria listed in the DSM-5. The DSM-5 describes NPD as follows: A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning in early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five ( or more) ) of the following:1. Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates accomplishments and talents, expects to be recognized… half of paper… Logical Evaluation, doi:10.1037/a0036613 Nelson, C. (2013). Narcissistic Intelligence Disorder personality: not even a diagnosis in 2013!. Journal of Psychohistory, 40, 293-305 Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.library3 webster.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid= 346baa13-4fac-4209 -9335 fd534704e1d7%40sessionmgr112&vid=8&hid=123Skodol, AE, Bender, DS, & Morey, LC (2013). /per0000023Washburn, J.J., & Paskar, LD (2011). Kerig, K. K. Stellwagen, & T. D. Barry (Eds.), Narcissism and Machiavellianism in youth: Implications for the development of adaptive and maladaptive behaviors (pp. 145-157).:10.1037/12352-008