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Journal of Personality Disorders, 8(4), 279-287, 1994
1994 The Guilford Press
Although rates of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) in
women appear to be increasing, there is very little study of this
disorder in women. We present the characteristics of 22
women with ASPD who were identified in a general-population
survey. These women have high rates of marital separation, chronic unemployment, and dependence on the state. They
also have high rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders, not
only substance dependence but also depression, anxiety and suicidal behavior. They frequently use psychiatric services yet
have received very little systematic study. Research is needed
to determine if risk factors, management and prognosis are
similar to that of males.
The idea that severe antisocial behavior can be classified as mental disorder remains contentious, although it continues to be used in clinical practice and research (Blackburn, 1981). No matter how antisocial behavior has
been conceptualized, men have consistently been found to be antisocial
more often than women, regardless of age, race, or sociocultural status
(Sigvardsson, Cloninger, Bohman, & von Knorring, 1982). These
sex differ
ences have been variously ascribed to differences in social acceptance of
male and female antisocial behavior (Reid, 1974), different thresholds for manifestation of antisocial behavior in men and women (Sigvardsson et al., 1982), response biases in symptom reporting and treatment seeking (Clancy, 1974), culturally defined stereo-typing during development and
adult social roles (Ford, 1989), differing sociobiological reproductive strate
gies (MacMillan & Kofoed, 1984), differential central nervous system vul
nerability (Flor-Henry, 1974) and neuroendocrine differences (Friedman et al., 1974). Whatever the reasons for the male predominance in antisocial behavior, women with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) are rarely
From the University Department of Psychological Medicine (R.T.M. and P.R.J.) and the
University Department of Community Health and General Practice (J.E.W.), Christchurch
School of Medicine, Christchurch, New Zealand: and from the University Department of
Psychological Medicine, Wellington School of Medicine, Wellington, New Zealand (J.A.B.). Address correspondence to Dr. Roger T. Mulder, Department of Psychological Medicine.
Christchurch School of Medicine, PO Box 4345, Christchurch, New Zealand.
We wish to acknowledge the contribution of Andrew Homblow and Mark Oakley-Browne to
the organization and completion of the Christchurch Psychiatric Epidemiology Study. The
study was funded by the Medical Research Council of New Zealand, the...