Chapters authored
Cognitive-Behavioral Theory and Treatment of Antisocial Personality Disorder
Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) has a distinct cognitive profile according to cognitive theory of personality disorders. Antisocial individuals’ view of the world is personal rather than interpersonal. They cannot accept another’s point of view over their own. As such, they cannot take on the role of another. Their actions are not based on choices in a social sense because of this cognitive limitation. Cognitive theory of personality disorders conceptualizes personality disorder including the ASPD, according to their basic beliefs or schemas. The content of beliefs can vary in different personality disorders. Antisocial patients view themselves as loners, autonomous, and strong. Some of them see themselves as having been abused and mistreated by society and therefore justify victimizing others because they believe that they have been victimized. Their view about other people is very negative; they see others as exploitative and thus deserving of being exploited in retaliation. In this chapter, after overviewing general features of ASPD, we aim to give an explanation how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) conceptualizes personality disorders in general and ASPD in particular and highlight the important implementations of CBT and schema therapy.
Part of the book: Psychopathy