Antisocial Personality Disorder (Dissocial Personality Disorder) Diagnostic Criteria

Please see our separate note on Treatment, Mental Disorders and Basic Science for important caveats on the role and definition of diagnostic criteria.

Antisocial Personality Disorder According to the ICD-10

The following information is reproduced verbatim from the ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders, World Health Organization, Geneva, 1992.

F60.2 Dissocial (Antisocial) Personality Disorder

Personality disorder, usually coming to attention because of a gross disparity between behaviour and the prevailing social norms, and characterized by at least 3 of the following:

1. callous unconcern for the feelings of others;
2. gross and persistent attitude of irresponsibility and disregard for social norms, rules and obligations;
3. incapacity to maintain enduring relationships, though having no difficulty in establishing them;
4. very low tolerance to frustration and a low threshold for discharge of aggression, including violence;
5. incapacity to experience guilt and to profit from experience, particularly punishment;
6. marked proneness to blame others, or to offer plausible rationalizations, for the behaviour that has brought the patient into conflict with society.

There may also be persistent irritability as an associated feature. Conduct disorder during childhood and adolescence, though not invariably present, may further support the diagnosis.

Includes:

• amoral, antisocial, asocial, psychopathic, and sociopathic personality (disorder)

Excludes:

• conduct disorders
• emotionally unstable personality disorder

Diagnostic Guidelines

Please see the separate set of notes which apply to all personality disorders in the ICD-10 system of classification.