Antisocial Personality Disorder

Antisocial personality disorder (APD) is a diagnostic category of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV), which is characterized by a “pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues through adulthood.” Behaviors and characteristics associated with the disorder include irresponsibility, unstable interpersonal relationships, deceitfulness, manipulations, erratic work histories, unlawful behaviors, disregard for the safety of self or others, conning others for profit or pleasure, failure to conform to societal norms, superficiality, a lack of remorse for harmful behavior, and/or an indifference to the harm caused to others. These characteristics are not uncommon in other personality disorders. Furthermore, one or more of these characteristics can be displayed in an ...