The Association Between ADHD and Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD): A Review

Objective: Children with ADHD have an increased risk of later developing personality disorders and criminal behavior. The object of the present review is to analyze the associations between ADHD and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Method: A review of literature was done using EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Medline databases. Results: Eighteen prospective studies (n = 5,501) showed that ADHD with and without comorbid conduct disorder (CD) is a strong predictor for the risk of later development of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Some of the 13 cross-sectional/retrospective studies (n = 2,451) suggested that ADHD and CD might be a separate subtype of ADHD, that especially impulsivity in ADHD is a predictor for later development of ASPD, or that callous-unemotional traits in the ADHD children are called for a risk factor for later ASPD. Conclusion: There is an increased risk for children with ADHD with or without comorbid CD to develop later onset of antisocial personality disorder.