Sociopath is actually the old term as far as diagnosis goes. It is now called Antisocial Personality Disorder. It requires display of behaviors by 15 and a pattern of at least three of the traits.
Diagnosis
[edit] DSM
The
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition, DSM IV-TR = 301.7, a widely used manual for diagnosing
mental disorders, defines antisocial personality disorder (in Axis II
Cluster B) as:
[1]
A) There is a pervasive pattern of disregard for and the rights of others occurring since the age of 15, as indicated by three (or more) of the following:
- failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest;
- deceitfulness, as indicated by repeatedly lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure;
- impulsivity or failure to plan ahead;
- irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults;
- reckless disregard for safety of self or others;
- consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations;
- lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another.
B) The individual is at least 18 years of age. C) There is evidence of
Conduct disorder with onset before age 15. D) The occurrence of antisocial behavior is not exclusively during the course of
schizophrenia or a
manic episode.
Millon's subtypes
Theodore Millon identified five subtypes of antisocial.
[9][10] Any individual antisocial may exhibit none, one or more than one of the following:
- covetous antisocial - variant of the pure pattern where individuals feel that life has not given them their due.
- reputation-defending antisocial - including narcissistic features
- risk-taking antisocial - including histrionic features