Antisocial Personality Disorder Case Study

Brilliant Essays
Register to read the introduction… One reason for this is because many people with these disorders do not seek help until they have had the problem for years, and they still may not recognize that anything is wrong—often, it is the distress of other people in their lives that eventually causes them to seek help. Because of this delay in treatment, it is not easy to study people with personality disorders from the onset of their problem (Durand & Barlow, 2013). However, there is definitely some sort of biological connection. The American Psychiatric Press Review of Psychology: Volume 11 states, “There is little doubt that there exists a genetic predisposition to antisocial personality disorder, as indicated by a variety of adoption, family history, and twin studies.” (Tasman, 1992, p. 67). There are also significant ties to sociocultural factors, which was researched in the Cambridge Study of Delinquent Development. This study showed several factors such as a convicted parent, large family size, low intelligence, a young mother, and a disrupted family which correlated with later antisocial personalities. (Farrington, …show more content…
This prevalence is higher in samples of people who come from hard socioeconomic or challenging sociocultural background. The prevalence among populations such as males who abuse alcohol, patients at substance abuse clinics, and prisons is disproportionately high, sometimes greater than 70% (APA, 2013). For those who have this disorder, prognosis is not particularly positive. This is a chronic disorder, and to date there are no cures like we have for other psychological disorders, and there have been very few success stories treating antisocial adults with behavioral therapy (Durand & Barlow, 2013). However, the level of dysfunction involved seems to go down significantly after a long period of time—Robins and Regier (1991) found in their study that on average, from first to last symptom, the disorder lasts 19 years. This general pattern of remission over time is the most positive prognostic factor for this

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Tony Taylor Case Study

    • 958 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Also, no individual is to be diagnosed with (any) personality disorder before the age of eighteen. Antisocial Personality Disorder is known to be more prevalent in males than females- and there is a distinction in how this personality disorder affects them. Males are more likely to be involved in substance abuse (like in Tony’s case) while women experience more somatic symptoms with Antisocial Personality Disorder. There are no studies indicating whether or not Antisocial Personality Disorder affects any particular race/culture; however, it is stated that there is a pattern of individuals being affected in those who live in a lower socioeconomic status and urban…

    • 958 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    In the case of Adam and his diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder, I believe that he was properly diagnosed. His behavior fulfills several of the DSM 5 diagnostic criteria; Adam is over the age of 18, and is able to receive this diagnosis. He lied to his therapist about several things. At one point he stated that he thought it was ridiculous that his father hit his mother, but it was later revealed that he abused Tisch, his girlfriend, as well. He admitted that he had no pity for the people he had assaulted or robbed, and stated that they deserved it.…

    • 454 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The presence of psychosocial disorders is often based on biology and not society. Just as there are different types of psychopath, the life of a psychopath does not have to be marked and marred by occurrences of unwarranted violent behaviors/tendencies or social deviance, i.e. animal abuse, theft, simple assault, vandalism, etc. The reality is that one engages in heinous behavior based on "being wired" vs. being conditioned. Just as Piaget hypothesized, there are certain stages of development associated with certain stages of of life/ages. That withstanding, the need to harm or the inability to comprehend harm is innate and while it can be taught or conditioned, in the most extreme cases it is something that the individual is born with.…

    • 717 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Delinquency in youths has always been an issue in criminology since adolescents are more prone to being easily influenced. For example, during the 1920s, children were exposed to a lot criminal opportunity at the street level so a lot of them began joining gangs. Just as theorist Edwin Sutherland suggested, when kids surround themselves with delinquents, they are more than likely to become delinquents themselves. I agree with Sutherland’s theory since I also believe that your personality and the way you carry yourself is a mixture of the personalities and behaviors of those closest to you too. Another theorist Albert Cohen explained that children who are a part of the lower class have less of a chance of meeting society’s goals.…

    • 896 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Identifying data: (Name, age, race, and marital status. Length of time in current shelter. Usual appearance including physical build, dress, neatness, any distinctive points. Type of Financial and medical benefits.) Ms. Roberta Yafie is a 70 year old single Jewish Caucasian female.…

    • 1050 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    It has been proven throughout history that genetics plays a large role in committing crimes and the behavior of these individuals. “In terms of Rowe’s and Harris’s research, it is now simply understood that genetic factors account for between 40 and 60% of the variance in antisocial behaviors as shown by several recent meta-analyses (Mason & Frank, 1994; Miles & Carey, 1997; Moffitt, 2005; Rhee & Waldman, 2002)” (Copes & Topalli,…

    • 3209 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Outward environmental sociological factors and inward hereditary psychological factors have many similarities and differences. The environment and social circles influence criminal behavior as it creates opportunities for such behavior to be learned. There are two theories that can help elaborate on the fusion of environmental and sociological factors causing criminal behavior. Differential association theory is the belief that criminal behavior is learned through communication with others (Schram, 2017). During this process, values, attitudes and norms are internalized and maintain within a group.…

    • 561 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    ASPD: antisocial personality disorder also know as dissocial personality disorder and Sociopathy is a personality disorder that is oftentimes characterized by a pattern of disregard, or the violation of, the rights of others (Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 2014). With this diagnosis usually comes an impoverished sense of moral conscience. Usually a history of violence, impulsivity, aggressive behavior, crime and legal problems are present. The often try to con or trick people for their personal gain while not thinking about the ways that their actions affect others--they have a very egocentric personality. They are highly impulsive individuals that lack planning skills and organization.…

    • 1600 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Understanding how human behavior is linked to ¬¬¬different disorders is essential while striving to comprehend crime and its causes. Many professionals often assume psychopathy and antisocial personality disorder are identical, and interchangeably utilize the two terms. Upon further investigation and research, both have been proven to be in fact different, and entail different elements. Psychopathy is a bundle of socially deviant behaviors and personality traits; antisocial personality disorder, on the other hand, is composed of both criminal and antisocial behavior. According to Hare’s article, Psychopathy and Antisocial Personality Disorder: A Case of Diagnostic Confusion, most psychopaths meet the criteria for antisocial personality disorder, but…

    • 716 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Personality Disorder: Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) Personality disorders can influence social functioning. There are three types of personality disorders; avoidant personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder. A person with antisocial personality disorder is also known as a sociopath or psychopath. Psychologist or psychiatrists diagnose many serial killers as possessing antisocial personality disorder.…

    • 840 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    What is Borderline Personality Disorder? According to the National Institute for Mental Health website “Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental illness marked by unstable moods, behavior, and relationships.” Majority of people with BPD have problems with regulating emotions and thoughts, impulsive and reckless behavior, tend to have unstable relationships with other people. Some also suffer from other mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, addictions, and eating disorders, in addition with self-harm, suicidal behaviors, and completed suicides. (Gunderson, 2009) (Borderline Personality Disorder, 2016)…

    • 1399 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Mental illness is infiltrating our society as shown by the increase in serial killers. Most often it begins with small crimes, such as, petty crimes, animal cruelty, and then escalates to extreme horrific crimes. The start of this unthinkable behavior begins in the blink of an eye. Mental illnesses are increasingly becoming more prevalent around the world everyday. Schizophrenia, narcissistic/borderline/antisocial personality disorder, and psychosis are just a few of the different types of mental illnesses as diagnosed in the DSM VI.…

    • 1441 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    HYPOCHONDRIA A Somatoform disorder is diagnosed as having symptoms that cause pain and mental or digestive issues problems. They usually have no sources and are usually linked to a person being stressed or anxious about a particular illness. There are various forms of Somatoform disorders the main two include Hypochondriasis and Body dysmorphic disorder.…

    • 721 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Juvenile delinquency is a complicated and complex issue with a multitude of underlying causes and reasoning behind why it happens. Years of research and studies have taken place across generations to aid in a better understanding what factors contribute to it and what should be done to prevent it. Developmental Theory takes aim at the life cycle of juvenile delinquency from beginning to the epilogue. Life Course Theory lends reason to the idea that a combination of personality and environment shape and child into a delinquent. Latent trait points to physiology reasons.…

    • 808 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The literature review “Psychological Theories of Crime and Delinquency,” published in Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment in April 2011, by Megan Moore at School of Social Welfare, University of California at Berkeley focuses on the psychological theories of understanding crime and delinquency. Psychological theories deal with identifying individual differences rather than social theories. This review identifies five important theories used in psychology, learning theories, intelligence theories, personality theories, theories of psychopathy, and cognitive and social development theories. These theories were chosen due to the fact that they have been used to explain crime previously, have been considered important by scholars,…

    • 1229 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays