Article Sections

Introduction

Personality disorders cause rigidity in thought (eg, perception of self, others, and situations), feelings (eg, emotional range and reactivity), and behavior (eg, ability to establish/maintain relationships, impulse control).  Characteristics of personality disorders are present by early adulthood and are generally stable across time and situations (eg, social, occupational, personal), causing significant functional impairment.

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) involves a pervasive pattern of violating the rights of others accompanied by a lack of remorse.  These behaviors are recurrent and generally start before age 15 (ie, evidence of conduct disorder by age 15) and continue throughout adulthood.  ASPD is the only personality disorder that cannot be diagnosed in a child (ie, must be at least 18 years old).

Epidemiology and risk factors

ASPD is estimated to have a lifetime prevalence rate of 2%-5% among adults and is more common in males than females.

Continue Learning with UWorld

Get the full Antisocial Personality Disorder article plus rich visuals, real-world cases, and in-depth insights from medical experts, all available through the UWorld Medical Library.