Download Slide 1 - psychinfinity.com

Antisocial Personality Disorder
I. Personality Disorders: enduring patterns of
perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the
environment and oneself that are exhibited in a
wide range of social and personal contexts, are
inflexible and maladaptive, and cause significant
functional impairment or subjective distress.
II. Antisocial Personality Disorder: chronic
psychiatric condition characterized by behavior,
possibly criminal, that manipulates, exploits, or
violates the rights of others (a.k.a. the sociopath
or the psychopath).
A. Other Key Features
1) Lack the ability to experience fear.
2) Often will break social rules or norms.
3) Aggressive or hostile behavior.
4) Engage in reckless and irresponsible behavior.
5) Lack of truthfulness.
6) Prone to impulsive behavior.
7) Lack the ability to feel guilt, remorse, or empathy for
others.
8) Lack of a “Conscience”: internal standards of behavior,
which usually control one’s conduct and produce emotional
discomfort when violated.
9) Often remarkably charming.
10) Often excel at “Self-Monitoring”: being aware of how
one is presenting oneself in a social context and being able
to adjust that image in different social contexts to create
favorable impressions.
11) Some poor decision making skills.
12) Having Conduct Disorder prior to age 18 is often a
precursor to Antisocial Personality Disorder.
13) Mostly found among men between the ages of 18 and
40.
14) More than five times as common among men as
among women.
15) About 4% of the population has this disorder.
B. Two Key Questions…
1) To what extent is Antisocial Personality Disorder
caused by Nature vs. Nurture in any given diagnosed
individual?
2) Is any given individual diagnosed with Antisocial
Personality Disorder committing crimes?
C. Nature vs. Nurture
1) Most of the time, ASPD is the result of genetic
predispositions/biological factors in conjunction with negative
environmental influences.
2) Childhood abuse, particularly physical and emotional abuse
and neglect, is quite common among those with ASPD.
3) Brain imaging links antisocial personality disorder to
dysfunctions in parts of the brain involved in regulating emotions
and restraining impulsive behaviors, especially aggressive
behaviors.
4) Areas of the brain most directly implicated are the prefrontal
cortex (gray matter deficiency) and deeper brain structures in the
limbic system such as the amygdala (underactive).
Adopted Children Removed
From Biological Mothers At Birth
Long Duration
in Orphanage
Short Duration
in Orphanage
Biological
Mother
With ASPD
High
Prevalence
of ASPD
Low
Prevalence
of ASPD
Biological
Mother
Without ASPD
Very Low
Prevalence
of ASPD
Very Low
Prevalence
of ASPD
D. Criminal Activity
1) Most people with Antisocial Personality Disorder do
NOT commit crimes.
2) Most people with Antisocial Personality Disorder that
do commit crimes are NOT murderers.
3) Serial killers are often diagnosed with Antisocial
Personality Disorder and are often highly intelligent.
E. Treatment and Outcomes
1) As with most people suffering from Personality
Disorders, treatment for Antisocial Personality Disorder
is usually ineffective.