Conduct disorder and antisocial personality disorder in persons with severe psychiatric and substance use disorders.
Conduct disorder (CD) and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) are established risk factors for substance use disorders in both the general population and among persons with schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses. Among clients with substance use disorders in the general population, CD and ASPD are associated with more severe problems and criminal justice involvement, but little research has examined their correlates in clients with dual disorders. To address this question, we compared the demographic, substance abuse, clinical, homelessness, sexual risk, and criminal justice characteristics of 178 dual disorder clients living in 2 urban areas between 4 groups: No CD/ASPD, CD Only, Adult ASPD Only, and Full ASPD. Clients in the Adult ASPD Only group tended to have the most severe drug abuse severity, the most extensive homelessness, and the most lifetime sexual partners, followed by the Full ASPD group, compared with the other 2 groups. However, clients with Full ASPD had the most criminal justice involvement, especially with respect to violent charges and convictions. The results suggest that a late-onset ASPD subtype may develop in clients with severe mental illness secondary to substance abuse, but that much criminal behavior in clients with dual disorders may be due to the early onset of the full ASPD syndrome in this population and not the effects of substance use disorders.
Department of Psychiatry and Community, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA. kim.t.mueser@dartmouth.edu
Kim T
KT
Mueser
Anne G
AG
Crocker
Linda B
LB
Frisman
Robert E
RE
Drake
Nancy H
NH
Covell
Susan M
SM
Essock
D000328:Adult; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001242:Assertiveness; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D019090:Case Management; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers; D015897:Comorbidity; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003237:Connecticut; D003415:Crime / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation