Individuals with Personality Disorders
Individuals with personality disorders (PDs) exhibit feelings, thoughts and behaviours that contradict with established societal norms and cultural expectations (Edition, 2013; Aggarwal, 2013). The UK National Offender Management Service (NOMS) outlines three conditions for PD to be present. First PDs are problematic – they cause people to behave in a way that is outside the norm of their society and create difficulties for themselves or those around them. Second, they are persistent as the condition may be relatively stable and integrate into the person’s later life. Third, they are pervasive as they cause distress or impair on individual’s social functioning in the relationships (intimate, family, and social), employment, and offending behavior (NOMS, 2015). This paper discusses how Antisocial Personality Behavior associates with offending behavior, its manifestation, and treatment.
Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)
Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), also referred to as dissocial PD, is a mental condition in which patients recklessly disregard social norms, display impulsive behavior, are unable to feel guilt, and exhibit a low tolerance for frustration (Ashton, 2013). People diagnosed with this disorder present an impaired feeling of self-worth and are often superficially charming – both of which drive them to exploit and violate other’s rights (Aggarwal, 2013). These traits also attribute to the frequent association of ASPD with offending behavior. Research documents that genetic and environmental (low socioeconomic status, academic achievement, turbulent family lifestyle) factors may trigger the onset of ASPD (Aggarwal, 2013).
Manifestation of ASPD
ASPD might manifest across stages of human development. In childhood, ASPD may emerge in terms of aggression towards people and animals, deceitfulness, lying and stealing, defying authority and established rules, vandalizing and destroying property, and failing to show remorse and empathy towards others (Aggarwal, 2013). However, the pattern of experience and behavior has been found to commence in late adolescence and early adulthood. At these stages, individuals with ASPD are likely to manipulate, exploit or violate the rights of others (Aggarwal, 2013). They tend to behave in a reckless, impulsive, irritated and consistently irresponsible manner and disregard authorities and society’s laws. Their impulsivity and disregard for authorities may lead to offending behavior, which translates to arrest or incarceration.
Difficulties in Establishing Relationships
Furthermore, ASPD patients experience difficulty in establishing and sustaining long-term relationships (Ashton, 2013). For example, they often quit jobs on short notice, relocate to another town, or end their relationships without warning or a reasonable justification. Additionally, individuals with this disorder tend to lie or cheat others often with the aim of gaining money or power. Failure to treat the distress and functionality problems may cause the behavior and experience to become inflexible and persist into later life (Ashton, 2013).
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is one of the most common and effective treatment programs in adolescence and adulthood that can help individuals with ASPD overcome their disorder. The intervention is anchored on the premise that PDs involve a dysfunctional perception of an individual, his or her social and physical environment, or future (Ashton, 2013). CBT seeks to understand the irrational beliefs ASPD patients hold and demonstrate to the individual that the views are maladaptive (Ashton, 2013). For example, the clinician would strive to get the patient realize that impulsivity, irritability, irresponsibility, deceitfulness, disregard for society’s laws, and violation of others’ right are inaccurate and harmful beliefs, and try also to help them alter such behaviors. This therapy may help patients overcome their disorder by increasing their ability to perceive, understand, utilize, and manage their emotions and those of others (Ashton, 2013). These skills may foster prosocial, noncriminal behavior especially among patients who display psychopathic tendencies (Ashton, 2013).
References
Aggarwal, I. (2013). The role of antisocial personality disorder and antisocial behavior in crime. Inquiries Journal, 5(09).
Ashton, M. C. (2013). Individual differences and personality. Academic Press.
Edition, F. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. American Psychiatric Publishing, Arlington, VA.
National Offender Management Service (2015). Working with offenders with personality disorder: A practitioners guide. Retrieved from https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2015/10/work-offndrs-persnlty-disorder-oct15.pdf
