Anti-Social Personality Disorder Antisocial Personality Research Paper

Treatment and therapy for the condition is sought after clinical psychologists, in most cases when they face multiple court charges, diagnose the patient. Treatment of the condition entails the use of behavioral treatments like reward and punishment methods in psychology. A patient with antisocial personality disorder is rewarded for displaying the correct behavior, under the positive reinforcement method. Negative reinforcement entails promise and use negative consequences for any illegal behavior the patient displays.

The best form of treatment for children and adolescents diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder involve the training of parents and guardians to handle them. The parent or guardian is taught how to recognize problems in behavior early that indicate the beginning of problems. They are taught how to use praise and privileges to encourage positive social behaviors, and denial of privileges to discourage antisocial behaviors. The continuous positive and negative reinforcement conditions the individual to uphold positive social behaviors and abandon negative social behaviors (Theodore et al., 2009). This method is suited for children and adolescents in stable family and social environments. However, it is difficult to apply for grown adults, those who have developed psychopath tendencies, or in jail for their behavior. A poor family background triggers antisocial personality disorder, and prevents the treatment or proper handling of a patient. This background include poor socioeconomic, disadvantaged families, high family stress, severe misconduct behavior in the family, history of antisocial behavior with the parents, and high degree of family dysfunction.

It is difficult to deal or interact with a person with antisocial personality disorder. This is because they are hyperactive, hypersensitive, irritable, risky, and have low respect for ones feelings. Interacting with such a person is exhausting, challenging, as they will constantly say, and do things impulsively. They will change their minds constantly, making it difficult to keep up with. The problem with antisocial personality disorder is the possibility of overlapping with other personality disorders like psychopath and criminality.This is because the risky behavior, aggression, disregard for the law and norms, impulsive behavior easily drives them to criminality. It is noted that

Blackburn (2007) notes that antisocial personality disorder on the DSM-V scale tends towards psychopath and criminality tendencies. They easily develop psychopath tendencies like cruelty to animals and peers, setting fire to property and animals. An individual with antisocial personality disorder is more likely to develop criminality behavior than suicidal behavior. Suicidal behavior arises from their risky behavior and disregard for their own life, which is less likely as compared to criminality. Criminality rates at 85% since there are implicated more with various criminal activities (Daughters, 2008). Often, people interacting with a person with antisocial personality disorder believe they are immature and behaviors like adolescents. An adult with the disorder is highly impulsive and loves risky behavior is viewed as an immature or overgrown adolescent.

In conclusion, antisocial personality disorder is difficult to diagnose and treat. This is associated with the symptoms of the disorder, which mimic deviant and delinquent behavior in teenagers and adolescents. Since, many people are not ware they have the condition their demographics are not accurate. Treatment of antisocial personality disorder uses the positive and negative reinforcement methods in psychology to encourage pro-social and discourage anti-social behavior. The treatment is successful in 50% of the case diagnosed early in childhood.

Reference

Burt, S Alexandra (2007).The different origins of stability and change in antisocial personality disorder symptoms .Psychological Medicine37. 1: 27-38.

Daughters, Stacey B, (2008). The Relationship Between Distress Tolerance And Antisocial

Personality Disorder Among Male Inner-City Treatment Seeking Substance Users.

Journal of Personality Disorders22. 5 509-24.

Beauchaine, Theodore P. et al. (2009).Multifinality in the development of personality disorders:

A Biology x Sex x Environment interaction model of antisocial and borderline traits

Development and Psychopathology 21. 3: 735-70.

Blackburn, R. (2007).Personality Disorder And Antisocial Deviance:….....