Антисоциальные и агрессивные черты личности осужденных за убийство

BackgroundSuicide mortality rates are higher in people with personality disorders, especially those who have antisocial personality traits. These mortality rates are also higher in people who have committed offences. Antisocial personality traits are very common in populations who have committed offences and in forensic psychiatric patients.AimTo determine if male State patients with antisocial personality traits had a higher risk of suicide compared with patients with no antisocial personality traits. We tried to identify other risk factors for attempted suicide in this population.SettingWeskoppies Hospital’s Forensic Unit, Pretoria, South Africa.MethodsOf the 275 male State patients, 37 had antisocial personality traits and were included in the study. Of the remaining State patients, we randomly selected 37 control group participants, who had no antisocial personality traits. For each participant, we completed a data capturing sheet and a Beck’s Suicide Ideation Scale (BSIS). We compared suicide risk and associated factors between study and control group participants.ResultsStudy group and control group participants had the same current suicide risk. Overall, 63 participants (85.14%) had no current suicide risk. Of the 11 (14.86%) remaining participants with current suicide risk, 5 had antisocial personality traits. Eighteen had previous suicide attempts, 13 of whom had antisocial personality traits.ConclusionState patients with and without antisocial personality traits had similar current suicide risk. Although antisocial personality disorder is an identified risk factor for suicide, it was not the case in this study. Assessment of other risk factors for suicide should be prioritised.

IntroductionTraumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause changes in the personality and behaviors. History of TBI has been associated with violent behavior and substance abuse.ObjectivesPresentation of a clinical case of a patient with antisocial personality traits who suffered a TBI and abuses alcohol.MethodsWe conducted a bibliographic review by searching for articles published the last 5 years in PubmedResultsWe present the case of a 48-year-old male patient with a history of myoclonic epilepsy, who suffered a TBI in a car crash. During his stay at ICU antisocial and borderline personality traits were found. When he came to consultations, he presented signs of alcohol intoxication (verbiage with hasty and dysarthric speech, and psychomotor incoordination). He acknowledges daily alcohol intake, although he minimizes it. During the interview he is irritable, prone to anger when contradicted and boasts of episodes of heteroaggressiveness and violence that he has carried out in the past. He reports morning sickness and tremors, but does not accept that they may be due to alcohol withdrawal. There is no motivation for change.ConclusionsIt has been determined that history of TBI is more frequent in individuals with antisocial personality. TBI has been linked to violent behaviors, poor inhibitory control, engaging in illegal acts and higher rates of substance abuse. However, the causal relationship between antisocial behavior and TBI has yet to be clarified, as the available evidence does not show which comes first. More research is needed in the future that takes into account the temporal sequence of events.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Antisocial, borderline, and narcissistic personality traits have been described as characteristics of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators. Furthermore, deficits in cognitive empathy and impairments in emotional decoding processes may at least partially explain conduct disorders and social dysfunction in general. However, previous research has not explored potential associations between empathy deficits and the aforementioned traits or whether they are reflected in recidivism in IPV perpetrators. Accordingly, the main aim of this study was to explore associations between empathy deficits, antisocial, borderline, and narcissistic traits and the risk of recidivism in this population. The sample consisted of 144 IPV perpetrators (mean age = 41 years). High antisocial and borderline personality traits in this sample were associated with a high risk of recidivism, these relationships being moderated by poor empathy skills. Moreover, in IPV perpetrators with both antisocial and borderline personality traits, the risk of recidivism was higher than in those with only one of these traits. In contrast, narcissistic traits were unrelated to the risk of recidivism and impairments in empathy. The results of our study highlight the importance of empathy deficits and may help professionals to develop specific intervention programs focusing on improving empathy skills in antisocial and borderline IPV perpetrators.

BACKGROUND Traditional personality assessment tools, such as questionnaires, were prone to social desirability bias and response distortions, leading to inaccurate measurements and misdiagnosis. These issues undermined the effectiveness of interventions and treatments, necessitating the development of more reliable assessment methods. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to develop and validate a gamified assessment tool (ASP-ECD-G) based on Evidence-Centered Design (ECD) to measure antisocial personality traits through participant behavior in a virtual workplace environment. METHODS The ASP-ECD-G was designed using game elements like narrative, immersion, and feedback to assess antisocial traits. It was based on the DSM-5’s alternative model for diagnosing antisocial personality disorder, which includes traits such as Machiavellism, callousness, deceitfulness, hostility, risk-taking, impulsivity, and irresponsibility. The tool’s development was validated through three sub-studies: Study 1 focused on creating the assessment ontology, Study 2 constructed the assessment model, and Study 3 validated the tool’s characteristics using a 2×2 mixed experimental design. RESULTS The validity tests showed that ASP-ECD-G effectively reflected individual antisocial traits with high robustness in content validity, construct validity, and criterion validity. The tool demonstrated strong resistance to manipulation, preventing participants from altering responses in high-risk scenarios. CONCLUSIONS ASP-ECD-G proved to be a reliable and effective tool for measuring antisocial personality traits in psychological research and organizational contexts, including recruitment and employee management. Its applicability and validity in different cultural contexts and scenarios were also explored.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is frequently linked with antisocial behaviour, yet less is known about its relationship with sociomoral reasoning, and the possible mediating effect of intelligence. A pilot study was designed to investigate the relationship between antisocial personality traits, intelligence and sociomoral reasoning in adults with ADHD. Twenty two adults with ADHD and 21 healthy controls, matched for age, gender and IQ completed a battery of measures including the National Adult Reading Test, Gough Socialisation Scale and Sociomoral Reflection Measure-Short Form. There was no difference between the groups and levels of sociomoral reasoning, despite the ADHD group reporting greater antisocial personality traits. Sociomoral reasoning was positively correlated with intelligence. Results from a hierarchical multiple regressions indicated that both antisocial traits and IQ were significant predictors of sociomoral reasoning, with IQ proving the most powerful predictor. Whilst antisocial personality traits may explain some of the variance in levels of sociomoral reasoning, a diagnosis of ADHD does not appear to hinder the development of mature moral reasoning. Intellectual functioning appears to facilitate the development of sociomoral reasoning. A further analysis showed that both ADHD and low sociomoral reasoning were significant predictors of antisocial traits. The current findings have important treatment implications.

Several studies have provided evidence that antisocial, borderline and narcissistic personality traits of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators significantly increase proneness to violence. In addition, an imbalance between testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) levels has been observed in this population, making individuals prone to violence. We aimed to establish whether IPV perpetrators differ in personality traits, T/C ratio and anger expression from controls, and also to examine the moderating role of the T/C ratio in the relationship between personality traits and anger expression. The sample consisted of 16 IPV perpetrators and 20 controls. T/C ratio was obtained as the quotient between salivary T and C levels. Anger expression and personality traits were measured with STAXI-2 and MCMI-III, respectively. Our results indicate that IPV perpetrators have higher antisocial, borderline and narcissistic personality traits and anger expression than controls. Nonetheless, they did not differ in basal T/C ratio. Finally, only in IPV perpetrators there was a positive relationship between these variables, the T/C ratio playing a moderating role in the relationship of antisocial and borderline traits with anger expression. In IPV perpetrators the T/C ratio may explain why certain personality traits are associated with high risk of becoming violent.

The neural bases of narcissistic and antisocial traits remain under debate. A key question is whether these traits are encoded within the triple network-comprising the default mode (DMN), salience (SN), and fronto-parietal (FPN) networks-and whether they impact these networks similarly. We conducted connectome-based analyses on resting-state fMRI data from 183 participants, examining graph-theoretical metrics in the DMN, SN, and FPN, using the visual and sensorimotor networks as controls. Predictive models of narcissistic and antisocial traits were developed using stepwise multiple regression and Random Forest regression to ensure generalizability. Seed-based analyses were conducted using regions identified by these models. Our findings revealed clear involvement of the triple network in both traits, supporting a shared neural substrate. Both traits were negatively predicted by the anterior cingulate cortex of the SN, reflecting reduced danger awareness and increased risky behaviors. Conversely, both were positively predicted by the lateral prefrontal cortex of the FPN, suggesting augmented strategic thinking to manipulate others and increased planning skills to achieve personal goals. Besides similarities, there were differences. Specific hubs of the DMN were positively associated with narcissism but negatively with antisocial traits, possibly explaining their differences in self-reflection and thinking about the self, largely present in the former, but usually reduced in the latter. These results expand on prior evidence linking the triple network to personality traits and suggest both shared and distinct neural mechanisms for narcissism and antisociality. These findings may help inform the development of biomarkers for personality pathology and guide biologically informed interventions.

Reliability and Validity of the Substance Abuse Outcomes Module

The main aim of the study was to replicate a previous study into personality factors associated with confessions and denials. It was hypothesised that antisocial personality traits and active involvement in criminal behaviour would be associated with false confessions and false denials. The participants were 666 university students in Iceland. Each was asked about false admissions made to teachers and parents in the past, as well as about confessions or denials (true and false) made to the police during questioning. The participants completed questionnaires relating to offending and personality. One‐quarter (25%) of the participants stated that they had in the past been interrogated by the police in relation to a suspected offence, of whom 54% said they had confessed. The base rate of guilt in the study of those interrogated by the police was 66%. Only two participants (1.2% of those interrogated) claimed to have made false confessions to the police, whereas 6.2% claimed to have made false confessions to teachers or parents at some time in their lives. False confessions to teachers and parents were significantly associated with antisocial personality traits and the extent and seriousness of self‐reported delinquency. In conclusion, antisocial personality characteristics, impulsivity, and the extent and seriousness of self‐reported delinquency were the most significant predictors of who had a past history of making false confessions to teachers and parents.

Unlike the cognitions associated with depressive symptoms, little is known about those associated with antisocial personality and with its related traits (“dark traits”). Using the scrambled sentences task, an instrument from depression research, we investigated cognitions such as justifications (external blaming for one’s behavior) and harm to others (based on the notion that some of these individuals enjoy harming or humiliating others) that we hypothesized may be prevalent in those high in antisocial personality traits. Confirming our hypothesis, these cognitions were associated with ratings on different antisocial personality scales and with antisocial and detachment scores in the alternative model of personality disorders of the DSM-5 (AMPD) in three non-clinical samples, but not with depressive symptoms or neuroticism. Cognitions including harm to others were differentially associated with high sadism. These findings empirically characterize classes of cognitions that are shared by individuals with antisocial tendencies, and that differ from those associated with depressive symptoms.

Between 50% and 75% of juveniles in conflict with the law have at least one psychiatric disorder. Commonly observed disorders include conduct disorder, substance use disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and anxiety. These conditions—often characterized by impulsivity and difficulties in emotional regulation—reinforce tendencies toward criminal behavior Antisocial personality traits typically emerge in childhood through impulsivity and oppositional behaviors. ADHD and emotional dysregulation may initially manifest as oppositional defiant disorder and later develop into conduct disorder, with approximately 40–60% of conduct disorder cases progressing to antisocial personality disorders. In early adulthood, prosocial roles such as marriage, employment, military service, and parenthood, alongside cognitive maturation and social support, facilitate desistance from crime. Preventive strategies include early interventions such as the Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) and the Incredible Years, high-quality early childhood education, executive function training, and home-visitation services. School-based initiatives to prevent peer bullying, implement mentorship programs, community-based support networks, and rehabilitation-oriented reforms in the juvenile justice system are also critical. These approaches aim to prevent the long-term adverse trajectories of juveniles in conflict with the law through multidimensional interventions tailored to individual needs at the family, school, peer, and community levels. This review aims to present research findings on the prevalence of mental disorders among juveniles in conflict with the law, the development of antisocial personality traits, related theories, and lifelong trajectories, with the goal of proposing methods that can be implemented to prevent involvement in crime.

“He seemed so normal”: Single tactic perpetrators of sexual violence are similar to non-violent men using the DSM-5's hybrid personality disorder model

This study explored the relationship between personality attributes and substance use disorder (SUD). Research has identified specific personality dimensions, such as neuroticism, psychoticism, antisocial personality traits, paranoia, and anxiety, as contributing factors on the way to the initiation, continuation, and relapse of SUD. To explore this connection, we examined the personality profiles of subjects with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD). A total of 928 subjects, 320 with AUD, 490 with OUD and 118 healthy controls (HC), in the age range of 16-65 years were recruited in the study. The Clinical Profile Sheet and the Multiphasic Personality Questionnaire (MPQ) were administered to HC and patients who fulfil the diagnostic criteria for substance dependence as defined by ICD-10 (WHO-1992). We found significant differences in personality profiles between individuals with OUD and AUD. Patients with AUD scored higher than OUD on the MPQ subscales for depression, mania, paranoia, and antisocial personality traits. All subscales of the MPQ showed elevated scores in subjects with SUD compared to HC. Elevated scores on the MPQ subscales suggest that personality factors may contribute to the pattern of substance use and misuse in this cohort.

The Relational aggression scale (RAS): Psychometric properties of a newly developed measure of relational aggression

It is estimated that upward of 15.5 million children live in homes where they are exposed to physical and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV). Research indicates that IPV can have deleterious effects on children, including a variety of psychosocial problems, although there is much variability in outcomes of children exposed to IPV. Individual characteristics of the parents involved in IPV may be an important predictor of negative psychosocial outcomes for children. The current study expanded upon prior research and examined the simultaneous associations of paternal characteristics, including paternal IPV perpetration, and child psychosocial functioning (i.e., externalizing, internalizing, and attentional problems) among 153 men arrested for domestic violence and court ordered to attend batterer intervention programs. Analyses examined the relations between paternal alcohol and drug use, antisocial personality traits, hostility, posttraumatic stress symptoms, distress tolerance, IPV perpetration, and men's ratings of their child's psychosocial functioning. Results indicated that poor overall child psychosocial functioning was positively related to paternal antisocial personality symptoms and hostility. Subscale analyses revealed that child attentional problems were positively related to paternal hostility. Child externalizing problems were positively associated with paternal antisocial personality symptoms. The implications of these findings for future research and intervention are discussed.