Antisocial Personality Disorder, Essay Example

Antisocial Personality Disorder is considered a mental disorder in which individuals are known to lie; engage in criminal activity as well has have little regard for rules or order within society. In the case of David, a 42 year old Caucasian male, the tenants of Antisocial Personality Disorder can clearly be seen. He was diagnosed with the disorder in his early twenties, when he was having frequent run in’s with the law, using illicit drugs and was caught in consistent untruths with his family. The disregard for rules and order was established through a family history interview, during David’s childhood. At that time it was noted that David was frequently in trouble at school from an early age. His consistent disregard for teachers, assignments and later defacing school property, seemed to guide him into criminal behavior as an adult.

Typically, individuals diagnosed with APD, such as David, have difficulty in counseling. Psychotherapy, while effective in most cases, is sometimes less than effective for a number of reasons. Those suffering with APD often believe that they are correct in their actions and feelings, which can lead to treatment resistance (Hesse, 2010). Their frequent engagement in dishonesty, criminal behavior and a disregard for the basic rules, can lead to frustration and even break the therapeutic bond in counseling. Without a positive and honest therapeutic relationship, it is difficult to engage in emotional disclosure or working through cognitive distortions. These individuals are also likely to serve jail time because of their actions, which can lead to the inability to engage in treatment.

References

Hesse, M. (2010). What should be done with antisocial personality disorder in the new edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-V)?. BMC Medicine, 866- 69.