Personality disorders in prisoners and their motivation for dangerous and disruptive behaviour.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the associations between DSM-III, axis II, personality disorder, motivation and disruptive behaviour in prisoners.


METHODS
Interviews were carried out with 81 prisoners in prison special units in England using research diagnostic instruments and an item sheet measuring disruptive behaviours and their motivations. Independent associations were established using logistic regression.


RESULTS
Specific associations were established between psychopathy and axis II disorders with violent and disruptive behaviour and motivations for these behaviours.


CONCLUSIONS
The study supported a cognitive model explaining the functional association between personality disorder and antisocial behaviour. Personality disorders act as predisposing factors influencing the development of motivations and subsequently facilitate the enactment of disordered behaviour, in a linear progression. Assessment of personality disorder should be routine in disruptive and dangerous prisoners.
Coid
Jeremy W
JW
Forensic Psychiatry Research Unit, St Bartholemew's Hospital, London, UK. j.w.coid@qmul.ac.uk
D000328:Adult; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003417:Criminal Psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data