Gender Differences in Antisocial Personality Disorder:... of unequal diagnosis theoriesThis paper will discuss the Cluster B personality disorder known as antisocial personality disorder. More specifically, it will attempt to explain the various theories put forward about the difference in prevalence in male and female populations and why men are much more likely to be diagnosed. Before we begin to discuss the reasons why the disorder is more commonly diagnosed in men, we must first understand some basic information about the disorder itself. Antisocial personality disorder was first introduced as a disorder in 1980 by the American Psychiatric Association (Moran, 1999). According to the DSM-IV-TR, its overall prevalence is approximately 3% and 1%, respectively, in the male and female population. Other studies report varying percentages. If the population is a prison, forensic, or substance abuse treatment setting, the prevalence is even higher (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). In numerous studies, the prevalence rate has been found to be 40-60% in the male prison population. The disorder is characterized by a persistent pattern of disregard for the rights of others. This, in addition to the repeated violation of the rights of others, can be traced back to childhood or early adolescence and continues to be evident in adulthood. The diagnostic criteria are as follows. There must be evidence that at least three of the following symptoms have occurred since age 15... half of the document... in the diagnosis of histrionic and antisocial personality disorders. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 57(2), 301-305.Moran, P. “The epidemiology of antisocial personality disorder.” Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology. 34.5 (1999): 231-242. Print.Prentice, D.A. and Carranza, E. (2002) What women and men should be, should not be, can be and should not be: the contents of prescriptive gender stereotypes. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 26: 269–281. Raine, A., Lencz, T., Bihrle, S., LaCasse, L., & Colletti, P. (2000). Reduced prefrontal gray matter volume and reduced autonomic activity in antisocial personality disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 57, 119-127. Silverthorn, P., & Frick, P. J. (1999). Developmental pathways of antisocial behavior: The delayed-onset pathway in girls. Development and psychopathology, 11, 101-126.

Topic > Gender Differences in Antisocial Personality Disorder:... of unequal diagnosis theoriesThis paper will discuss the Cluster B personality disorder known as antisocial personality disorder. More specifically, it will attempt to explain the various theories put forward about the difference in prevalence in male and female populations and why men are much more likely to be diagnosed. Before we begin to discuss the reasons why the disorder is more commonly diagnosed in men, we must first understand some basic information about the disorder itself. Antisocial personality disorder was first introduced as a disorder in 1980 by the American Psychiatric Association (Moran, 1999). According to the DSM-IV-TR, its overall prevalence is approximately 3% and 1%, respectively, in the male and female population. Other studies report varying percentages. If the population is a prison, forensic, or substance abuse treatment setting, the prevalence is even higher (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). In numerous studies, the prevalence rate has been found to be 40-60% in the male prison population. The disorder is characterized by a persistent pattern of disregard for the rights of others. This, in addition to the repeated violation of the rights of others, can be traced back to childhood or early adolescence and continues to be evident in adulthood. The diagnostic criteria are as follows. There must be evidence that at least three of the following symptoms have occurred since age 15... half of the document... in the diagnosis of histrionic and antisocial personality disorders. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 57(2), 301-305.Moran, P. “The epidemiology of antisocial personality disorder.” Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology. 34.5 (1999): 231-242. Print.Prentice, D.A. and Carranza, E. (2002) What women and men should be, should not be, can be and should not be: the contents of prescriptive gender stereotypes. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 26: 269–281. Raine, A., Lencz, T., Bihrle, S., LaCasse, L., & Colletti, P. (2000). Reduced prefrontal gray matter volume and reduced autonomic activity in antisocial personality disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 57, 119-127. Silverthorn, P., & Frick, P. J. (1999). Developmental pathways of antisocial behavior: The delayed-onset pathway in girls. Development and psychopathology, 11, 101-126.