-
Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy Mar 2022Many clinicians seem to experience negative emotions towards patients with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), resulting in the exclusion of patients in many...
Many clinicians seem to experience negative emotions towards patients with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), resulting in the exclusion of patients in many treatment programmes. The behaviour of individuals with ASPD has a significant impact on society, which affects ASPD patients and their environment, and therefore, the exclusion from programmes is a serious concern. Relatively, little is known about why some clinicians are willing to work with ASPD patients and others are not and what factors contribute to an increase in the motivation to do so. In this study, clinicians (n = 130) working in a regular and forensic mental health service in the Netherlands completed a questionnaire based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the Feeling Word Checklist and questions about the relevant experience gained and education received. The current study confirms the limited willingness to work with ASPD patients, especially in regular mental health care. Experience working with ASPD patients, education on cluster B personality disorders and having experienced verbal and/or physical violence in clinical practice did not fully explain whether or not clinicians were motivated to provide treatment to ASPD patients. TPB appeared to predict the intention to provide psychological therapy to ASPD patients adequately. The impact of positive emotions towards ASPD patients on providing treatment appeared to be stronger than negative emotions. This study provides more insight into why so few clinicians are willing to work with ASPD patients and what may increase motivation to include this group in treatment programmes.
Topics: Antisocial Personality Disorder; Emotions; Humans; Mental Health Services; Netherlands; Physicians; Psychological Theory; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 34433227
DOI: 10.1002/cpp.2661 -
Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience 2014Psychopathy is a mental disorder marked by deficient emotional responses, lack of empathy, and poor behavioral controls, commonly resulting in persistent antisocial... (Review)
Review
Psychopathy is a mental disorder marked by deficient emotional responses, lack of empathy, and poor behavioral controls, commonly resulting in persistent antisocial deviance and criminal behavior. Accumulating research suggests that psychopathy follows a developmental trajectory with strong genetic influences, and which precipitates deleterious effects on widespread functional networks, particularly within paralimbic regions of the brain. While traditional therapeutic interventions commonly administered in prisons and forensic institutions have been notoriously ineffective at combating these outcomes, alternative strategies informed by an understanding of these specific neuropsychological obstacles to healthy development, and which target younger individuals with nascent symptoms of psychopathy are more promising. Here we review recent neurobehavioral and neuroimaging literature that informs our understanding of the brain systems compromised in psychopathy, and apply these data to a broader understanding of its developmental course, ultimately promoting more proactive intervention strategies profiting from adaptive neuroplasticity in youth.
Topics: Antisocial Personality Disorder; Emotions; Empathy; Humans
PubMed: 23542910
DOI: 10.3233/RNN-139001 -
Current Psychiatry Reports Feb 2010The goal of this article is to provide a selective and targeted review of the neuroimaging literature on psychopathic tendencies and antisocial behavior and to explore... (Review)
Review
The goal of this article is to provide a selective and targeted review of the neuroimaging literature on psychopathic tendencies and antisocial behavior and to explore the extent to which this literature supports recent cognitive neuroscientific models of psychopathy and antisocial behavior. The literature reveals that individuals who present with an increased risk for reactive, but not instrumental, aggression show increased amygdala responses to emotionally evocative stimuli. This is consistent with suggestions that such individuals are primed to respond strongly to an inappropriate extent to threatening or frustrating events. In contrast, individuals with psychopathic tendencies show decreased amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex responses to emotionally provocative stimuli or during emotional learning paradigms. This is consistent with suggestions that such individuals face difficulties with basic forms of emotional learning and decision making.
Topics: Aggression; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Brain; Brain Mapping; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging
PubMed: 20425314
DOI: 10.1007/s11920-009-0086-x -
BMC Psychiatry Jun 2022To assess the impact of a short psychoeducation intervention for antisocial personality disorder on offending after randomization to treatment. (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Impulsive Lifestyle Counselling versus treatment as usual to reduce offending in people with co-occurring antisocial personality disorder and substance use disorder: a post hoc analysis.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the impact of a short psychoeducation intervention for antisocial personality disorder on offending after randomization to treatment.
DESIGN
Multicentre, superiority, non-blinded randomized controlled trial. Random assignment was conducted in blocks of varying sizes at a central randomization centre. Participants were followed using national register data until 365 days after randomization, migration, or death, whichever occurred first.
SETTING
Thirteen outpatient uptake areas in Denmark.
PARTICIPANTS
Patients with antisocial personality disorder in treatment for substance use disorders were randomized to treatment as usual (TAU, n = 80) or Impulsive Lifestyle Counselling (ILC, n = 96). A total of 165 patients could be linked to criminal records (TAU, n = 74; ILC, n = 91).
INTERVENTION
ILC is a brief psychoeducational program targeting antisocial behavior. The trial was conducted between January 2012 and June 2014.
OUTCOMES
Number of criminal offences leading to convictions based on national registers.
RESULTS
The mean number of offences was 2.76 in the TAU group (95% Poisson confidence interval [CI] = 2.39, 3.16) and 1.87 in the ILC group (95% CI = 0.97, 1.43). Negative binomial regression was used to assess total number of convictions, as well as convictions for violent, property, driving under the influence, and drug-related crimes. In both adjusted and unadjusted analyses, random assignment to ILC was associated with a lower number of total offences (incidence rate risk ratio [IRR] = 0.43, p = .013; adjusted IRR = 0.45, p < .001) and convictions related to violence (IRR = 0.19, p = .001 adjusted IRR = 0.19, p = .007) and property offences (unadjusted IRR = 0.30, p = 0.003, adjusted IRR = 0.42, p = 0.010). Differences between conditions were not significant for driving under the influence (unadjusted IRR = 0.49, p = .370; adjusted IRR = 0.53, p = .417) or drug offences (unadjusted IRR = 1.06, p = .907; adjusted IRR = 0.55, p = .223).
CONCLUSIONS
The ILC program shows promise in reducing offending behavior in people with comorbid substance use and antisocial personality disorder.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN67266318 , 15/10/2012.
Topics: Antisocial Personality Disorder; Counseling; Humans; Impulsive Behavior; Life Style; Substance-Related Disorders
PubMed: 35689188
DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-04025-8 -
The International Journal of... Aug 2018The influence of genetic variation on resting-state neural networks represents a burgeoning line of inquiry in psychiatric research. Monoamine oxidase A, an X-linked...
BACKGROUND
The influence of genetic variation on resting-state neural networks represents a burgeoning line of inquiry in psychiatric research. Monoamine oxidase A, an X-linked gene, is one example of a molecular target linked to brain activity in psychiatric illness. Monoamine oxidase A genetic variants, including the high and low variable nucleotide tandem repeat polymorphisms, have been shown to differentially affect brain functional connectivity in healthy humans. However, it is currently unknown whether these same polymorphisms influence resting-state brain activity in clinical conditions. Given its high burden on society and strong connection to violent behavior, antisocial personality disorder is a logical condition to study, since in vivo markers of monoamine oxidase A brain enzyme are reduced in key affect-modulating regions, and striatal levels of monoamine oxidase A show a relation with the functional connectivity of this same region.
METHODS
We utilized monoamine oxidase A genotyping and seed-to-voxel-based functional connectivity to investigate the relationship between genotype and corticostriatal connectivity in 21 male participants with severe antisocial personality disorder and 19 male healthy controls.
RESULTS
Dorsal striatal connectivity to the frontal pole and anterior cingulate gyrus differentiated antisocial personality disorder subjects and healthy controls by monoamine oxidase A genotype. Furthermore, the linear relationship of proactive aggression to superior ventral striatal-angular gyrus functional connectivity differed by monoamine oxidase A genotype in the antisocial personality disorder groups.
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that monoamine oxidase A genotype may affect corticostriatal connectivity in antisocial personality disorder and that these functional connections may also underlie use of proactive aggression in a genotype-specific manner.
Topics: Adult; Aggression; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Case-Control Studies; Cerebral Cortex; Corpus Striatum; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Minisatellite Repeats; Monoamine Oxidase; Neural Pathways; Phenotype; Polymorphism, Genetic; Risk Factors
PubMed: 29746646
DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyy035 -
Neuropsychopharmacology : Official... May 2023The amygdala is a key region in current neurocircuitry models of reactive aggression as it is crucially involved in detecting social threat and provocation. An increased... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
The amygdala is a key region in current neurocircuitry models of reactive aggression as it is crucially involved in detecting social threat and provocation. An increased amygdala reactivity to angry faces has been reported in aggression-prone individuals and the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) could dampen anger-related amygdala reactivity in a number of mental disorders. One example is the antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) which has so far only been studied in limited numbers. To address the question whether OT can normalize amygdala hyperreactivity to emotional faces, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment with 20 men and 18 women with ASPD and 20 male and 20 female healthy control (HC) participants in a double-blind, randomized, placebo (PLC)-controlled within-subject design. Participants were exposed to an emotion classification task (fearful, angry, and happy faces) after receiving an intranasal dose (24 IU) of synthetic OT or PLC. We found OT to attenuate right amygdala hyperactivity to angry faces in participants with ASPD to such an extent that the intensity of amygdala activity in the ASPD group in the OT condition decreased to the level of amygdala activity in the PLC condition in the HC group. There was also a trend that OT effects were generally larger in women than in men. These findings suggest that OT differentially modulates the amygdala following social threatening or provoking cues in dependence of psychopathology (ASPD vs. HC) and sex (male vs. female). Particularly female ASPD patients could benefit from OT in the treatment of reactive aggression.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Oxytocin; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Anger; Emotions; Amygdala; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Administration, Intranasal; Facial Expression
PubMed: 36941365
DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01549-9 -
Pediatrics Mar 2013To investigate whether excessive television viewing throughout childhood and adolescence is associated with increased antisocial behavior in early adulthood.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether excessive television viewing throughout childhood and adolescence is associated with increased antisocial behavior in early adulthood.
METHODS
We assessed a birth cohort of 1037 individuals born in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1972-1973, at regular intervals from birth to age 26 years. We used regression analysis to investigate the associations between television viewing hours from ages 5 to 15 years and criminal convictions, violent convictions, diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder, and aggressive personality traits in early adulthood.
RESULTS
Young adults who had spent more time watching television during childhood and adolescence were significantly more likely to have a criminal conviction, a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder, and more aggressive personality traits compared with those who viewed less television. The associations were statistically significant after controlling for sex IQ, socioeconomic status, previous antisocial behavior, and parental control. The associations were similar for both sexes, indicating that the relationship between television viewing and antisocial behavior is similar for male and female viewers.
CONCLUSIONS
Excessive television viewing in childhood and adolescence is associated with increased antisocial behavior in early adulthood. The findings are consistent with a causal association and support the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that children should watch no more than 1 to 2 hours of television each day.
Topics: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Adult; Aggression; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Child; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Criminals; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; New Zealand; Television; Time Factors; Young Adult
PubMed: 23420910
DOI: 10.1542/peds.2012-1582 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jun 2023The main objective of this study is to assess moderation effects of online behaviors between personality traits and addiction to Internet. To this end, four instruments...
The main objective of this study is to assess moderation effects of online behaviors between personality traits and addiction to Internet. To this end, four instruments were validated for Portuguese version through confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory factor analysis (Study 1) Multiple regression analysis was applied to examine the personality predictors of specific online behaviors while controlling for gender and age; and moderation effects were assessed (Study 2). Results showed good psychometric properties for the four validated scales. Machiavellianism is positively associated with all the dimensions of this study. Psychopathy is positively associated with total Cyberstalking, Cyberstalking Control, Flaming and Trolling. Narcissism is positively associated with all the dimensions, except Online Harassment and Flaming. Machiavellianism is positively associated with Addiction to Internet through Cyberstalking, Flaming and Trolling. Psychopathy is positively associated with Addiction to Internet through Cyberstalking Control and Flaming. Narcissism is also positively associated with Addiction to Internet through Cyberstalking and Trolling. This study demonstrates that dimensions of the dark triad of personality play an important role in Internet addiction through online behaviors. The results of this study have theoretical and practical implications: on the one hand, they reinforces the findings of other studies showing that dimensions of the dark personality triad play an important role in Internet and social network addition, contributing to the literature; and, on the other hand, on a practical level, they allow to conduct awareness campaigns in communities, schools, and work to understand that one can be exposed to unpleasant situations due to behaviors that some people with personality traits of Machiavellianism, narcissism and/or psychopathy that may cause problems affecting the mental, emotional and psychological health of others.
Topics: Humans; Portugal; Personality; Machiavellianism; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Emotions
PubMed: 37372723
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20126136 -
Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience :... Mar 1995
Topics: Antisocial Personality Disorder; Humans; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Social Problems; United States; Violence
PubMed: 7703218
DOI: No ID Found -
L'Encephale Aug 2020Psychopathy is a construct characterized by symptoms of emotional detachment, a lack of empathy, guilt and remorse, irresponsibility and a propensity for impulsive... (Review)
Review
Psychopathy is a construct characterized by symptoms of emotional detachment, a lack of empathy, guilt and remorse, irresponsibility and a propensity for impulsive behavior. This article critically evaluates the contribution of structural and functional neuroimaging to the understanding of this personality disorder in North American forensic populations with psychopathic traits. Neuroimaging results are highly variable. They report numerous structural and functional abnormalities that are not limited to the amygdala and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex but include the striatum, hippocampus, and uncinate fasciculus. These brain abnormalities underlie an attenuated emotion processing functioning (but not an absence) and aversion to negative and threats signals, reinforcement learning, representation of rewards and modulation of attention that have an impact in decision-making, caring for others, and moral judgment. It is important to note that the neuroanatomical, neurofunctional, and behavioral differences between individuals with high psychopathic traits and those with low traits are highly heterogeneous and of degree rather than of nature.
Topics: Antisocial Personality Disorder; Brain Mapping; Emotions; Forensic Psychiatry; Forensic Sciences; Functional Neuroimaging; Humans; Impulsive Behavior; Morals; Nerve Net; Neurosciences
PubMed: 32312566
DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2020.02.007