143 Kleptomania (312.32)
This is a short clip of Dr. Gary Solomon explaining what activities a person diagnosed with kleptomania might do.
DSM-IV-TR criteria
A. Recurrent failure to resist impulses to steal objects that are not needed for personal use or for their monetary value.
B. Increasing sense tension immediately before committing the theft.
C. Pleasure, gratification, or relief at the time of committing the theft.
D. The stealing is not committed to express anger or vengeance and is not in response to a delusion or a hallucination.
E. The stealing is not better accounted for by a Conduct Disorder, a Manic Episode, or Antisocial Personality Disorder.
Associated features
Kleptomania is an irresistible impulse to steal, stemming from emotional disturbance rather than economic need. It is also said that it is a recurrent failure to resist stealing. It is most observed in patients who are “chemically dependent” or also have mood, anxiety, or eating disorders. It is possible that people with kleptomania could also be dealing with major depression, panic attacks, social phobia, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, substance abuse, and obsessive compulsive disorder. People with this disorder get a thrill from stealing and randomly have an overwhelming urge to do so. Strangely enough, they often feel guilty after committing theft and surreptitiously return the stolen items. If the items, usually of lesser importance, aren’t returned they are hoarded, discarded, or given away. In less severe instances of kleptomania, things are borrowed and not returned.
Kleptomania is not to be confused with the regular act of stealing. Whether planned or impulsive, a normal thief steals for the objects value or usefulness. Many times they are teenagers or gang members that view theft as a rite of passage, form of rebellion, or commit them just for a dare.
Child vs. adult presentation
It is difficult to assess the differences in presentation of Kleptomania among children and adults. This is because Kleptomania typically presents itself during late adolescence or early adulthood. It is rare for Kleptomania to manifest itself during a person’s early childhood or late in their life. This is because it is hard to distinguish if children are stealing because of a disorder or if it is because they do not know any better.
Gender and cultural differences in presentation
In preliminary evidence, clinical samples suggest that approximately two-thirds of individuals with Kleptomania are female. Kleptomania in cultural differences are not stated.
Epidemiology
Kleptomania is a rare condition that appears to occur in fewer than 5% of identified shoplifters. Studies suggest that the prevalence in the general population may be around 0.6%. Studies also suggest that it is more prominent in females. Other studies, interestingly, have found an exceptionally high correlation of kleptomania in patients with bulimia of 65%. Also, approximately 7% of patients have a correlation with histor