National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence antisocial personality disorder guidance in the context of DSM-5: Another example of a disconnection syndrome?

Abstract

In this paper, I will briefly discuss the process of our National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) review into treatments for antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and summarize its findings, then consider these recommendations in relation to the proposed revisions for ASPD in DSM-5 and, finally, conclude with the broader implications of this major change in classification. In summary, the scientific community faces a dilemma. Although there is no doubt that the current classification of personality is unsatisfactory, the implications of radical alterations to the current system of classification need to be thought through to avoid the disconnection described in the first paragraph. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)