‘Psychopath’, ‘sociopath’, ‘moral defective’ - these are some of the labels which have been given to people who suffer from abnormal personalities. In particular, these terms have been used to refer to people who consistently behave in a manner which society finds unacceptable. In 1980, psychiatry formally introduced the controversial diagnostic category of ‘antisocial personality disorder’. The concept is hotly debated by clinicians, researchers, and more recently by the media, and raises important questions about where the boundaries of psychiatry should lie.

 

This book provides a comprehensive review of antisocial personality disorder from an epidemiological point of view. It opens with a discussion of the central problems associated with assessing and classifying abnormal personality and then focuses more specifically on antisocial personality disorder with chapters on: distribution, natural history, early risk factors, associated conditions, burden and needs assessment. It will be a valuable source of reference for all who are interested in the disorder, whether from a clinical, management or research perspective.