Personality disorders in prisoners and their motivation for dangerous and disruptive behaviour

To examine the associations between DSM-III, axis II, personality disorder, motivation and disruptive behaviour in prisoners.

Interviews were carried out with 81 prisoners in prison special units in England using research diagnostic instruments and an item sheet measuring disruptive behaviours and their motivations. Independent associations were established using logistic regression.

Specific associations were established between psychopathy and axis II disorders with violent and disruptive behaviour and motivations for these behaviours.

The study supported a cognitive model explaining the functional association between personality disorder and antisocial behaviour. Personality disorders act as predisposing factors influencing the development of motivations and subsequently facilitate the enactment of disordered behaviour, in a linear progression. Assessment of personality disorder should be routine in disruptive and dangerous prisoners.