Diagnostic Features:
Antisocial Personality Disorder is a condition characterized by persistent disregard for, and violation of, the
rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood. Deceit and
manipulation are central features of this disorder. For this diagnosis to be given, the individual must be at
least 18, and must have had some symptoms of Conduct Disorder (i.e., delinquency) before age 15. This
disorder is only diagnosed when these behaviors become persistent and very disabling or distressing.
Diagnostic Criteria:
Three or more of the following are required:
Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly
performing acts that are grounds for arrest
Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeatedly lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit
or pleasure
Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead
Irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults
Reckless disregard for safety of self or others
Consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or
honor financial obligations
Lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or
stolen from another
Since these antisocial behaviors are commonly observed in children and adolescents, this disorder is only
diagnosed if these antisocial behaviors persist into adulthood (i.e., if age is 18 or older). The diagnosis of
Antisocial Personality requires that there was evidence of delinquency (Conduct Disorder) with onset
before age 15 years.
Dr Hare’s “Psychopathy Checklist”
About 80-85% of incarcerated criminals have Antisocial Personality Disorder. However, only about 20% of
these criminals would qualify for a diagnosis of being a psychopath. Most psychopaths meet the criteria for
Antisocial Personality Disorder, but most individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder are not
psychopaths. Psychopaths account for 50 percent of all the most serious crimes committed, including half
of all serial killers and repeat rapists.
A diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder has limited utility for making differential predictions of
institutional adjustment, response to treatment, and behavior following release from prison. In contrast, the
diagnosis of being a psychopath has considerable predictive validity with respect to treatment outcome,
institutional adjustment, recidivism and violence (Hare 1991). Dr. Robert D. Hare's "Psychopathy
Checklist-Revised (PCL-R)" is the psycho-diagnostic tool most commonly used to assess psychopaths. On
this checklist, psychopaths have the majority of the following traits:
Selfish, callous and remorseless use of others:
o Glibness/superficial charm (smooth-talking, engaging and slick)
o Grandiose sense of self-worth (greatly inflated idea of one's abilities and self-
esteem, arrogance and a sense of superiority)
o Pathological lying
o Conning/manipulative (uses deceit to cheat others for personal gain)
o Lack of remorse or guilt (no feelings or concern for losses, pain and suffering of
others)
o Emotional poverty (limited range or depth of feelings)
o Callous/lack of empathy (a lack of feelings toward others; cold, contemptuous
and inconsiderate)
o Failure to accept responsibility for own actions
Chronically unstable, antisocial and socially deviant lifestyle:
o Need for stimulation/proneness to boredom (an excessive need for new, exciting
stimulation and risk-taking)
o Parasitic lifestyle (exploitative financial dependence on others)
o Poor behavioral control (frequent verbal abuse and inappropriate expressions of
anger)
o Promiscuity (numerous brief, superficial sexual affairs)
o Lack of realistic, long-term goals
o Impulsivity
o Irresponsibility (repeated failure to fulfill or honor commitments and
obligations)
o Juvenile delinquency (criminal behavioral problems between the ages of 13-18)
o Early behavior problems (before age 13)
o Revocation of conditional release (violating parole or other conditional release)
o Many short-term marital relationships (lack of commitment to a long-term
relationship)
o Criminal versatility (diversity of criminal offenses, whether or not the individual
has been arrested or convicted)