Antisocial behavior: what is it, risk factors and associated disorders?

This psychological concept is used to encompass behaviors that harm others.

The behaviors that we carry out individually as members of a society can serve both to preserve and maintain coexistence and to disrupt it, or alter its climate and harmony. That is to say, there are prosocial behaviors and, also, antisocial behaviors.

Throughout this article we will review the conception and characteristics of antisocial behaviors, as well as the risk factors and diagnoses associated with them.

What is antisocial behavior?

By antisocial conduct we understand to the set of behaviors, practices or performances that have as an aim the perturbation of the social order or the aggression to this one. In the same way, all those discourses that encourage this type of acts are also considered as part of antisocial behaviors.

Traditionally, these acts and behaviors have been categorized as transgressions, abuses, infractions or crimes judged and punished. transgressions, abuses, infractions or crimes that are judged and sanctioned by both the law and society at large.

People with antisocial behavior can establish the focus of their actions both in other people's spaces or property, through acts of vandalism, theft or robbery, and with the intention of harming other people through aggression, attacks and offenses, as well as abuse and harassment.

What are its main characteristics?

The main problem that exists in the need to establish what can be considered antisocial conduct and what cannot, since the definition of antisocial conduct as any conduct or behavior that violates social norms or the rights of individuals, is that it is not considered antisocial conduct. conduct or behavior that violates social norms or the rights of individuals encompasses too large a number and variety of acts. encompasses too great a number and variety of acts.

For example, it is not the same to judge as antisocial conduct a robbery, or a graffiti on a wall, or a demonstration against some law or unjust situation. However, all of them are aimed at altering the established order.

The fact that there is so much flexibility in the interpretation of certain behaviors as antisocial behavior is a problem in today's society. In addition, there is a perception that in recent years the number of antisocial behaviors has increased considerably, perhaps in response to the social and economic changes and phenomena experienced.

In addition, it must be taken into account that each culture or society may determine a set of established guidelines or norms that roughly established that regulate in an approximate way which behaviors are considered as an aggression or attack to society and which are not.

However, there are a number of factors that may be useful in assessing and distinguishing an act as antisocial:

• Assessment of the severity of the acts.
• Evaluation of the performance in terms of departure from socially established guidelines.
• Sociocultural context in which it takes place.

Taking these factors into account, we can determine that, for the moment, there are no clear and objective criteria that serve as a guide to evaluate and qualify antisocial behavior, as well as to determine exactly which acts should be excluded from this label.

In spite of this, we can establish that antisocial behaviors are those acts that infringe the rules or social norms that regulate coexistence, as long as they present a degree of severity superior to all those behaviors that are carried out in people's daily lives.

What causes them or what risk factors exist?

Another of the fields investigated by some disciplines such as sociology, psychology, criminology or even legislation, are the causes as well as the risk factors. causes and risk factors that may predispose the population to that may predispose the general population to engage in any type of antisocial behavior.

Although the exact causes of why a person may develop antisocial behavior are not known, there are a number of risk factors that may increase the likelihood of developing antisocial behavior.

These factors are divided into individual, family and contextual factors.

1. Individual factors

Elements such as temperament or personalityas well as impulsivity and attention problems or difficulty adapting to change can be basic risk factors for the development of antisocial behavior.

Similarly, lack of problem-solving skills, poor school or social adjustment and a lack of socio-cognitive skills, make it difficult for the person to find effective and satisfactory alternatives in conflict resolution beyond antisocial behaviors.

2. Family factors

The family environment as well as parenting styles are essential in favoring the appearance or development of antisocial behaviors. Experiences such as separation from parents, changes of home or experiences of more extreme situations of abuse or domestic violence can be triggers for these behaviors.

In addition, inappropriate parenting styles, such as very permissive or authoritarian styles, can also have a strong can also have a strong effect on them.

3. Environmental factors

The sociocultural context, the influence of the media, the school, peer groups, or certain institutions, groups or associations can also or some institutions, groups or associations can also favor or encourage aggressive, violent or angry reactions in some people.

Associated diagnoses

Although these behaviors do not necessarily occur as a consequence of or in association with any psychological pathology or disorder. There are a number of diagnoses in which this type of behavior appears repeatedly.

1. Antisocial personality disorder

According to the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), antisocial personality disorder is defined by the occurrence of a pattern of behavior which reveals a general disregard for the norms and rights of others..

The main symptoms or signs of this diagnosis include rule breaking, deception and manipulation as the main hallmarks of this diagnosis. as the main hallmarks of this disorder. As well as impulsivity, lack of remorse or disregard for the safety of others.

In order for this diagnosis to be made, the person must be over 18 years of age, otherwise it is considered a dissocial personality disorder.

2. Dissocial Personality Disorder

In this second case, the behaviors are practically the same as those of antisocial personality disorder, but with the difference that they are manifested at an earlier age, specifically in infancy or during adolescence, but with the difference that they manifest themselves at an earlier age, specifically in childhood or adolescence..

These behaviors categorized as antisocial must be recurrent and qualitatively much more severe than the typical rebellious behaviors expected at that age.