Antisocial personality disorder


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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

Although the precise cause of antisocial personality disorder isn't known, certain factors seem to increase the risk of developing or triggering it, including:

  • Diagnosis of childhood conduct disorder
  • Family history of antisocial personality disorder or other personality disorders or mental illness
  • Being subjected to verbal, physical or sexual abuse during childhood
  • Unstable or chaotic family life during childhood
  • Loss of parents through traumatic divorce during childhood
  • History of substance abuse in parents or other family members

Men are at greater risk of having antisocial personality disorder than women are.

Complications Causes

  • See Also

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  • Personality disorders
References
  1. Antisocial personality disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed March 1, 2013.
  2. Paris J, et al. Antisocial and borderline personality disorders revisited. Comprehensive Psychiatry. In press. Accessed March 1, 2013.
  3. Black DW. Antisocial personality disorder: Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, course and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed March 1, 2013.
  4. Black DW. Treatment of antisocial personality disorder. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed March 1, 2013.
  5. Shi Z, et al. Childhood maltreatment and prospectively observed quality of early care as predictors of antisocial personality disorder features. Infant Mental Health Journal. 2012;33:55.
  6. Kendall T, et al. Borderline and antisocial personality disorders: Summary of NICE guidance. British Medical Journal. 2009;338:293.
  7. Alarcon RD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 21, 1013.
  8. Palmer BA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 1, 2013.
DS00829 April 12, 2013

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