Characteristics Of Psychopathy And Antisocial Disorder

Individuals with psychopathic personality are characterized by a constellation of traits, including interpersonal-affective features such as superficial charm, manipulation, lack of affect and emotion, and antisocial features such as impulsivity and aggression. (Gao, 2011). These traits in turn have been linked to a disregard for laws and social mores, a disregard for the right of others, a failure to feel remorse or guilt and a tendency to display violent behavior (Kennedy, 1954). Furthermore, their interpersonal behavior has been described as selfish, dominant, manipulative, and superficial; showing a lack of responsibility within relationships; and inability to form long-lasting bonds. Psychopaths are described

Antisocial personality disorder is a disregard for others rights and violating theses rights. This disorder starts as a child to people who carry this disorder portray the characteristics of irritability, aggressiveness, lack of remorse, and irresponsibility. A psychopath falls under the umbrella of antisocial personality disorders. A psychopath is a person with a personality disorders which is inherited from their parents at birth. Flashes of these inherited factors show and happen in the child upbringing this includes torture animals at a young age, playing weird dark games as a kid, or ripping heads of toys. A perfect example of a Psychopath is Edmund Kemper. A man who showed his psychopath tendencies at a young age that grew into to him becoming a serial killer.

Psychopathy, a personality/mental disorder, in which an individual often display apathy in conjunction with manipulation strategies, and without the ability to demonstrate remorse for wrong actions, is a characteristic that has shown to be highly present in violent criminality. It is believe that the understanding of psychopathy can lead to the prediction of criminal behavior. However, psychopathic behavior can be affected or influence by numerous variables, including age, sex, race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status or in some cases a combination of two or more variables.

Antisocial personality disorder is a mental health condition characterized by various behavioral symptoms (including impulsivity or failure to plan ahead, disregard for the safety of others and irresponsibility), interpersonal symptoms (deceitfulness), affective symptoms (including a lack of remorse) and other symptoms (such as irritability and aggressiveness, repeated behaviors that are grounds for arrest, and the onset of conduct disorder prior to the age of 15 years). Although laws differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, this mental health condition may be grounds for a defense against criminal charges provided an accurate and timely diagnosis of the disorder is made. The diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder, though, is frequently confounded by the presence of a broad spectrum of comorbid disorders. Because there is often a great deal at stake, the accurate diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder in criminal cases has become the focus on an increasing amount of research in recent years, an issue that also forms the focus of this study. An overview of antisocial personality disorder is followed by a discussion concerning what instruments are typically used for diagnosing antisocial personality disorder and the implications of these diagnoses. Finally, a summary of the research and important findings are presented in the study's conclusion.

Martens, W. H. (2000). Antisocial and psychopathic Personality Disorders: Causes, Course, and Remission- A Review Artical. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminolgy , 44(4), 406-430.

Antisocial Personality Disorder is a very rare disorder. The criteria to be diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder has been changed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders throughout many years. The rareness of this disorder can be considered beneficial in the world because of the way people diagnosed with it become and what they do to others. Many people diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder find their self in prison. A variety of causes pertain to this disorder. Very few treatments of this disorder seem to work of this that has been tested. Researchers are still working on a better way to treat this disorder. The defense mechanisms associated with antisocial personality disorder are quite common and the same during the course of diagnosis.

Increasing numbers of people become victims of mental or personality disorders due to a wide range of socio-cultural, environmental, and family stressors and factors. For instance, the antisocial personality disorder (ASP) is a mental illness undetectable for early diagnosis, though its symptoms might be revealed in the early childhood. Thus, inadequate conduct displayed by a child or adolescent might be considered an indicator of required monitoring and even intervention in the personality development. ASP is frequently mistermed with psychopathy, while the latter is only a severe form of the discussed disorder. It is essential to diagnose ASP at early stages of its development, since consequences of this disease are rather far-reaching. It

Furthermore, psychopathy was considered during the twentieth century, the most widely used term to describe antisocial behavior (Reed, 1996). In the 1980s, the committee who devised the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for the American Psychiatric Association recommended the term antisocial personality syndrome to be changed to antisocial personality disorder (Ellis & Walsh, 2000). Antisocial Personality Disorder Hare & McPherson (1984), were successful in pushing the idea that there is a significant correspondence between violent and persistent delinquent and criminal histories and antisocial personality disorder diagnosis. Acute persistent child conduct disorder behavior symptoms, also known as conduct disorder, have been directly linked to serious criminality and antisocial personality disorder (Ellis & Walsh, 2000). Although criminality and antisocial personality disorder ought not be equated, they should be seen as closely linked behavioral phenomena (Ellis & Walsh, 2000). Vitella (1996) believes that individuals with childhood conduct disorder have a higher than normal probability of being both criminal and diagnosed antisocial personality disorder in adolescence and adulthood, and persons with serious criminal records have a higher probability of being diagnosed psychopathic than those with little or no criminal history. Nevertheless, Ellis & Walsh (2000) in caution pointed out that these

The concept of psychopathy originated in the 1800s to describe individuals that consistently failed to conform to societal norms and exhibited antisocial behavior that did not fit the concept of mental illness of the time period. While, psychopathy was a common term used to describe individuals suffering from this disorder other descriptions were coined such as “Pinel’s term “manie sans delvie” meaning mania without delirium in the 1700s, to describe patents whose ‘affective faculties were disordered’” or Pritchard’s term “moral insanity” (Ogloff 520). In the 1930’s Partridge argued that psychopathy was a social rather than a mental disorder and proposed that the concept of sociopathy be introduced as a more accurate description. The American Psychological Association adopted Partridge’s term for their Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel in 1952. However, in 1968 the American Psychological Association changed the diagnostic label from sociopath to “personality disorder, antisocial” for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel – II that continued through to the DSM - III in 1980 and the DSM - III-R in 1987 and the DSM - IV in 1994. Today the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel categorizes antisocial personality disorder as a personality disorder and it is named as such. Unfortunately, not much research has been conducted

This set of symptoms found within someone who is at least 18 years of age and shown signs of conduct disorder from the age of 15 merits a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder. However, a mental health professional should always exhaust all of their options when diagnosing. In the case of antisocial personality disorder, it is also possible that the involved symptoms only show up within the course of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder; if this is the case it should not be diagnosed as a personality disorder. Substance abuse can also be associated with these symptoms. If this is the case, a clinician should examine whether or not antisocial behavior was exhibited in childhood and have continued into adulthood. If not, it is more likely a substance abuse disorder. If so, and the substance abuse also began in childhood, there may be a double diagnosis necessitated. When diagnosing any personality disorder, it is important to look closely at the distinguishing features, because several personality disorders can share very similar traits. If all the features are met for two or more disorders, all can be diagnosed as comorbid disorders. Finally, because antisocial personality is closely correlated to criminal activity, it is necessary to see that antisocial

Antisocial behavior is a problem that arises from the combination of several factors among which the behaviors at school, drug use, alcoholism, antisocial relationships with peers, emotional disorders, abuse, and family problems among other situations make the individuals vulnerable to develop it (Jaffee, Strait & Odgers, 2012). There is a number of literature that suggest that antisocial personality disorder is highly associated with psychopathy. In order to understand antisocial personality disorder, we first need to understand what it entails. This research paper will discuss the different aspects involved in antisocial personality disorder also known as (ASPD). The categories to be discussed are: historical context, diagnostic description, etiology, treatment, summary and discussion.

Antisocial personality disorder is often referred to as psychopathy or sociopathy are recognized as professional labels use for diagnosis. (“Antisocial Personality Disorder symptoms.”). There is no real cause for this disorder, although there is many theories. “Most professionals subscribe to a bio psychosocial model causation – that is the causes of are likely due to a biological and genetic factors, social interaction.” For example: This is normally identified in early development and conducted around family, friends and other personnel. (“Antisocial Personality Disorder symptoms.”). There is no single cause for a person to have this personality disorder. Although, “research suggests that there is a slight increase risk for this disease to be passed down to a child is one or both parents have this disorder.” (“Antisocial Personality Disorder symptoms.”). A cause of this could be from the environment the criminal grew up in to where they are living today.

Antisocial personality disorder is an important concept to understand when talking about mental illness and offenders, as according to a study in England on 1396 violent male offenders, they found that there was a prevalence rate of 73% for any personality disorder, and out of that percentage, 65% of the male offenders had antisocial personality disorder (Serin, Brown, Bennell, Forth, Nunes, and Pozzulo, 2010, p. 330). According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV), antisocial personality disorder is defined as having a “pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others”. In Farrington’s 2000 study, he wished to find the psychosocial predictors and risk factors in antisocial personality and adult convictions

Of all the psychiatric disorders, none are more chilling to the world then the psychopaths and sociopaths. These two disorders, categorized as antisocial personality disorders, bring about the absolute worse people and killers that the world has ever known. The infamous serial killers, the people who do the unimaginable, were all psychopaths. The ability of these people to do what they do and know that what they are doing is wrong, is perhaps one of the most chilling and shocking characteristic of these people. Psychopaths and sociopaths are very often thought by most to be the same disorder, yet they are different when classified by many psychiatric researchers. The people classified as psychopaths and sociopaths are separated by one main difference, and that is if they were born with a lack of the ability to empathize or if they were affected as children in a traumatic environment. Although both of these horrible disorders derive from a different area, the reality is that they are unpredictable, undetectable and most importantly, they can be very dangerous.

“Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by an inability to form human attachment, aggressive narcissism, and antisocial behavior defined by a constellation of affective, interpersonal and behavioral characteristics, most of which society views as pejorative” [1]. Some of these characteristics include irresponsibility, grandiosity, cunning, deceitfulness, selective impulsivity, sexual promiscuity, lack of empathy, etc. People who are psychopathic display not only antisocial behavior but also emotional impairment such as the lack of guilt. They are able to prey on others using their charm, deceit, violence or any other methods that allow them to get what they want. A strong feature of most of the behavior