Criminological psychology (option): antisocial personality disorder

What ASPD is

Antisocial personality disorder is a personality disorder marked by a long-standing pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others.

In DSM-5, diagnosis requires:

• age at least 18;
• evidence of conduct disorder beginning before age 15;
• a pervasive pattern since age 15 shown by three or more of: failure to conform to social norms and the law (repeated arrestable acts); deceitfulness (lying, conning); impulsivity; irritability and aggressiveness (fights, assaults); reckless disregard for the safety of self or others; consistent irresponsibility (work, finances); lack of remorse;
• the behaviour is not only during schizophrenia or bipolar episodes.

Why ASPD may lead to crime

Several criteria are themselves criminal (breaking laws, assaults), and traits such as impulsivity, lack of remorse and low empathy make crime more likely and punishment less of a deterrent.

Possible causes:

• Biological: lower prefrontal cortex activity linked to poor impulse control (Raine et al., 1997, Unit 2); genes such as MAOA; low physiological arousal.
• Environmental: childhood abuse, neglect, inconsistent parenting, insecure attachment (links to Bowlby's affectionless psychopathy).

Evaluation

• Strengths: ASPD is common among prisoners, so it has credibility as part of the explanation; the diagnostic criteria are clear, which aids reliability; it links biological and social causes.
• Weaknesses: circular reasoning: criminal acts are part of the diagnosis, so 'ASPD explains crime' partly says 'crime explains crime'; most crime is committed by people without ASPD, and not everyone with ASPD offends; diagnosis relies on clinicians' judgement and self-report (some subjectivity); labelling someone with ASPD can itself be a self-fulfilling prophecy and is socially sensitive.

Worked example

Explain why ASPD as an explanation of crime may involve circular reasoning.

1. To diagnose ASPD, the clinician looks for repeated law-breaking and aggression.
2. Then ASPD is used to explain why the person commits crime.
3. So crime is used both as evidence for the disorder and as the thing the disorder explains.

Answer: Crime is part of the diagnosis and the outcome explained.

Check yourself

1. What is the minimum age for a DSM-5 diagnosis of ASPD?
   Show answer

   18. Adults only; under-18s may be diagnosed with conduct disorder.

2. Before what age must conduct disorder have started for an ASPD diagnosis?
   Show answer

   15. Evidence of conduct disorder before age 15.

3. At least how many of the seven DSM-5 criteria must be present for ASPD?
   Show answer

   3. Three or more.

4. Which is NOT one of the DSM-5 criteria for ASPD?
   • Deceitfulness
   • Lack of remorse
   • Hearing voices
   • Impulsivity
   Show answer

   Hearing voices. Hallucinations belong to psychotic disorders.

5. Which biological factor is linked to the impulsivity seen in ASPD?
   • Lower activity in the prefrontal cortex
   • A larger hippocampus
   • High levels of serotonin only
   • Better working memory
   Show answer

   Lower activity in the prefrontal cortex. The PFC controls impulses (Raine et al., 1997).

6. Explain one weakness of ASPD as an explanation of criminal behaviour.
   Show answer

   It involves circular reasoning, because law-breaking is one of the diagnostic criteria, so ASPD partly explains crime by using crime as evidence.. Name the weakness and link it to crime.

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Sources

• Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced Level in Psychology specification, Issue 6 (November 2024, first assessment January 2026)
• Pearson IAL Psychology summary of studies: WPS03

Last updated 8 November 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.