Literature review suggests that most of the serial killers suffer from Antisocial Personality disorder. Many serial killers develop antisocial personality disorder accompanied with narcissistic personality in which they take pleasure with control and manipulation Malmquist, 2006). Michael Swango has been the subject of various psychological experts and forensic clinicians who have agreed that he has narcissistic tendencies. According to forensic Psychologist Dr Jeffrey Smalldon, Swango exhibits several narcissist attributes including dysfunctional family history, obvious reaction to criticism, derision for his victims and impulse to deceive.
In Swango’s case, he didn’t have a fatherly figure. He has obsession with death and most of his peers asserted that he had developed a routine of marking ‘Died’ across their charts in capital red letters. He would go down to execute a series of self-chastising push-ups when he was criticized for his work. At various levels, he had deceived various organizations where he had worked. Conclusion This research paper has discussed psychological characteristics and patterns of Dr Michael Swango who has killed more than sixty patients.
His life history suggests that he suffers from narcissistic personality disorder. He exhibited several narcissist attributes including dysfunctional family history, obvious reaction to criticism, derision for his victims and impulse to deceive.
References:
Stewart, James B. (1999) Blind Eye: How the Medical Establishment Let a Doctor Get Away with Murder, a biography of Swango. Kocsis, Richard N. (2007). Serial murder and the psychology of violent crimes. New York: Humana Press. Malmquist, Carl P. (2006). Homicide. New York: American Psychiatric Pub.