Personality Disorders

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Personality Disorders

• 04-27-05

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Etiology of Psychopathy andAntisocial
Personality Disorder
Ted Bundy
Richard Ramirez
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APD vs. Psychopathy

• Studies have used different samples and different
  definitions of antisocial tendencies
• Terms APD and psychopathy have been used
  interchangeably by DSM-IV and others
• DSM-IV conceptualizations of APD focus on
  behavioral manifestations and criminality (3-5
  of male population)
• Psychopathy is a more reliable and specific
  construct with greater predictive validity (1 of
  population)
• Most psychopaths engage in antisocial behavior,
  but most APD do not have personality traits of
  psychopathy

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Antisocial Personality Disorder

• Pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation
  for the rights of others since age 15, indicated
  by 3 or more of the following
• 1) failure to conform to social norms with
  respect to lawful behaviors repeatedly
  performing acts that are grounds for arrest
• 2) deceitfulness repeated lying, use of
  aliases, conning others for personal profit or
  pleasure
• 3) impulsivity or failure to plan ahead

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Antisocial Personality Disorder

• 4) irritability aggressiveness (e.g., repeated
  physical fights or assaults)
• 5) reckless disregard for safety of self or
  others
• 6) consistent irresponsibility repeated failure
  to sustain work or honor financial obligations
• 7) lack of remorse being indifferent to or
  rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen
  from another
• At least 18 years old, evidence of Conduct
  Disorder before age 15, no Schizophrenia or Manic
  Episode

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3-Factor Model of Psychopathy
Psychopathy
Arrogant Deceitful Interpersonal Style
Impulsive Irresponsible Behavioral Style
Deficient Affective Experience
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Features of Psychopathy

• Interpersonal
• Superficial
• Grandiose
• Deceitful
• Egocentric
• Manipulative
• Deceptive
• Intimidating
• Callous

• Affective
• Shallow, labile
• No empathy
• Lack of guilt
• or remorse
• Little stress
• Weak emotional ties to people

• Behavioral
• Impulsive
• Sensation-seeking
• Lack of realistic, long-term goals
• Violation of social norms

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Etiological factors in APD Psychopathy

• Family/Socialization
• Genetic
• Autonomic Nervous System Abnormalities
• 1) Fearlessness / Lack of Anxiety
• 2) Arousal / Sensation-seeking

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Family/Socialization

• Lack of parental affection / supervision
• Parental rejection
• Inconsistent / inadequate discipline
• Modeling by a parent with antisocial behaviors
  (especially father)

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Genetic

• Twin studies higher concordance for MZ than DZ
  twins
• Adoption studies higher concordance for
  biological than adoptive relatives (especially
  fathers)

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Autonomic Nervous System Abnormalities

• Deficiencies or abnormalities in the functioning
  of the ANS may predispose individuals to develop
  antisocial tendencies
• 1) Fearlessness / Lack of Anxiety
• 2) Arousal / Sensation-seeking

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Fearlessness / Lack of Anxiety

• ANS abnormalities may make psychopaths less
  susceptible to anxiety
• Lack of anxiety interferes with avoidance
  learning (i.e., learning through punishment)
• Psychopaths appear less likely to learn from
  their experiences through punishment (e.g.,
  Lykkens classical conditioning studies, pp.
  251-252)

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Arousal / Sensation-seeking

• Low levels of ANS reactivity may keep antisocial
  people emotionally underaroused
• Exciting, thrill-seeking, impulsive, or
  unconventional behaviors might stem from efforts
  to achieve an optimal level of arousal or to
  avoid boredom
• Research shows that psychopaths require a more
  intense stimulus to elicit ANS reactivity

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Factors influencing learning deficits

• Arousal level When arousal level was increased
  with adrenaline, psychopaths performed better
  than nonpsychopaths on an avoidance learning task
  (p. 254)
• Kind of punishment Learning deficits emerge with
  physical and social, but not with monetary,
  punishments
• Certainty of punishment Less certainty is
  associated with more deficits (i.e., threats
  dont work)

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Impulse Control Disorders

• Intermittent Explosive Disorder
• Kleptomania
• Pathological Gambling
• Pyromania
• Trichotillomania

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Impulse Control Disorders

• Failure to resist an impulse or temptation to
  perform some act, although they know it is
  considered wrong by society or is harmful to them
• Experience of tension or arousal before the act
• Sense of excitement, gratification, or release
  after committing the act