Exploring the link between personality disorder and criminality in a community sample.

Abstract

This study sought to identify, among a sample of 224 community residents with DSM-diagnosed personality disorder (PD), those personality and criminal history features associated with a combination of antisocial and borderline PDs (APD/BPD). After identifying first- and higher-order factors through factor analysis of IPDE item scores, forensic history and personality correlates of the identified higher-order factors were identified using regression analysis. Those having APD/BPD were more likely than the remainder to have received a conviction for violence and a custodial sentence. They showed higher trait anger and impulsivity and a greater history of aggression, and scored significantly higher on a higher-order "psychopathy" factor. In contrast, anankastic traits were inversely related to criminal history variables. It is concluded that APD/BPD represents a particularly criminogenic blend of traits likely to be overrepresented in high-secure forensic samples, and underrepresented in community PD samples. Future research should address the mechanisms through which PDs are related to criminality.

• Authors: Richard C Howard, Nick Huband, Connor Duggan, Aisling Mannion
• Journal: Journal of personality disorders (J Pers Disord) Vol. 22 Issue 6 Pg. 589-603 (Dec 2008) ISSN: 0885-579X [Print] United States
• PMID: 19072679 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aggression (psychology)
• Antisocial Personality Disorder (epidemiology, psychology)
• Borderline Personality Disorder (epidemiology, psychology)
• Comorbidity
• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
• Female
• Humans
• Interpersonal Relations
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Temperament
• Violence (psychology, statistics & numerical data)