Antisocial Personality Disorder
The purpose of this assignment is for the student to gain an in-depth understanding of a particular mental disorder. Students who successfully complete this assignment will clearly convey their understanding of the prevalence, cultural considerations, diagnosis, and treatment of a mental disorder identified in the DSM-5.
Write a paper based on the following points:
• Discuss the prevalence (i.e., degree of existence, e.g., percent of the total population affected) and, if available, the incidence (i.e., rate of development or occurrence, e.g., new cases per year) of a disorder listed in the DSM-5.
o Disorder is not limited to a certain specifier (e.g. “Bipolar II” vs “Bipolar II with mixed features”) but should be a unique diagnosis (e.g. either Bipolar I or II, not both).
o Internet sources may be used here; however, they must be credible & primary sources (NIMH, NIH, other legitimate government agencies).
• Identify the symptoms or primary diagnostic criteria associated with the disorder.
o The DSM-5 may/should be referenced here; however, material must be paraphrased and direct quotes used very sparingly, if at all.
• Discuss cultural considerations (e.g., race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation/gender identity, physical/mental ability, class, religion, national origin, etc.) regarding the diagnosis and/or treatment of persons with this disorder.
o Try and do some critical thinking/brainstorming here. DSM is a good place to start as it has sections on this but try and look and think elsewhere. I will allow non-scholarly sources for this if they seem legitimate.
• Discuss any relevant/interesting environmental/genetic/temperamental/other risk factors
• Describe evidence-based treatment (e.g., psychotherapy, hospitalization, medication) for this disorder. Present scholarly literature that clearly identifies the type of treatment as the most effective or, at the least, the most common. Include a direct quote (i.e., phrase or sentence of less than 40 words) from the literature identifying the intervention as the treatment of choice for this disorder. Also present empirical literature (i.e., a study with actual results) that demonstrates the treatment’s effectiveness.
o If you choose a disorder with little research into it’s treatments, find a source that says this. If you write that there is no evidence for an effective treatment and I am able to find some, you will roux the day (LA pun; but you will have points taken away).
This paper must be written in APA style, be at least three full pages but ideally no more than five pages of text in length, and contain three scholarly (i.e., refereed, credible) references. No Internet or textbook sources are to be used, except where noted above.
