DSM-III-R Diagnostic Criteria for Sadistic Personality Disorder
| A. A pervasive pattern of cruel, demeaning and aggressive behavior, beginning by early adulthood, as indicated by the repeated occurrence of at least four of the following: |
| (1) Has used physical cruelty or violence for the purpose of establishing dominance in a relationship (not merely to achieve some noninterpersonal goal, such as striking someone in order to rob him or her) |
| (2) Humiliates or demeans people in the presence of others |
| (3) Has treated or disciplined someone under his or her control unusually harshly (e.g., a child, student, prisoner, or patient) |
| (4) Is amused by, or takes pleasure in, the psychological or physical suffering of others (including animals) |
| (5) Has lied for the purpose of harming or inflicting pain on others (not merely to achieve some other goal) |
| (6) Gets other people to do what he or she wants by frightening them (through intimidation or even terror) |
| (7) Restricts the autonomy of people with whom he or she has a close relationship (e.g., will not let spouse leave the house unaccompanied or permit teen-age daughter to attend social functions) |
| (8) Is fascinated by violence, weapons, martial arts, injury, or torture |
| B. The behavior in A has not been directed toward only one person (e.g., spouse, one child) and has not been solely for the purpose of sexual arousal (as in Sexual Sadism). |