Impulsivity in antisocial personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder in prison population

This study examined impulsivity in antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) in the context of criminal offending. Participants completed the Demographic, Criminal, and Institutional Behavior Interview, the International Personality Disorder Examination, the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, and the Impulsive Behavior Scale, that the APD and OCPD groups can commit the same crimes (against people and against objects). The results revealed that ASPD and OCPD groups can commit the same crimes (against human and against objects), although they differ in terms of impulsivity [Negative Urgency (UN), Sensation Seeking (BS) and Positive Urgency (UP)], with the OCPD group scoring lower on these dimensions. In the ASPD group, those who had committed crimes against human scored higher in UN, BS and UP than those who had committed crimes against objects. In the OCPD group, those who had committed crimes against human scored higher on UN and lower on BS and UP than those who had committed crimes against objects. The importance of analyzing personality disorder profiles for a better understanding of criminal behavior is emphasized.