Rethinking the DSM III-R Diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder

Abstract

The diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder (APD) has undergone substantive revisions in the DSM Ill and DSM Ill-R criteria. Within the context of these modifications, the authors reviewed the current research and psychometric models of APD. They found considerable variability among these models which in turn appear to be only modestly correlated with DSM standards. Recommendations are offered to reduce symptom variations subsumed within APD and to explore a reformulation of APD for achieving greater congruence with research findings.