ABSTRACT
Given the close link between aggressive behaviour and conduct disorder in childhood and adult antisocial behaviour, research on aggressive behaviour and conduct disorder pertinent to antisocial personality disorder is discussed. Further, the similarities and differences between psychopathy and antisocial personality disorder are addressed. There is consistent evidence that bad parenting, including lack of discipline, child neglect, and abuse, is associated with children’s physical aggression and antisocial behaviour, which may implicate antisocial personality disorder. Other factors involved in the aetiology of antisocial personality disorder are low physiological arousal, early conduct disorders, ADHD, marital disruption, poor language development, and behavioural problems of the mother during her childhood. The effects of environmental factors are presumably mediated by heritability. Bad parenting had relatively little effect on antisocial behaviour in children who were at low genetic risk. An important distinction is made between antisocial behaviour and the core psychopathic features including lack of remorse, guilt, callousness, and shallow affects. There is evidence that these core psychopathic features have a strong genetic base.
