Dimensional approaches to the assessment of antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy

In the field of diagnostics of personality disorders, a development from categorical towards dimensional approaches has recently become apparent. A dimensional approach relies on the assessment of personality traits in terms of continuous variables and also entails an evidence-based description of an individual's configuration of personality traits. Similarly, the assessment of the psychopathy construct according to Hare's classical concept has also changed, thereby replacing the notion of psychopaths as a discrete subgroup of individuals. Meanwhile, there are various conceptualizations of psychopathic personality traits. Some of these conceptualizations also include general or even functional personality traits, apart from deceitfulness, callous unemotional traits, and social deviance. These considerations also found their way into the alternative model for the diagnosis of personality disorders in part III of the DSM-5. More specifically, the alternative model entails changes with respect to antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy (e.aEuro<overline>g., regarding aspects, such as fearless dominance or boldness). The current article provides a review of the various conceptualizations and research findings on latent structure. Moreover, the article provides an overview of assessment instruments. This overview includes a reference to the development of indirect measures that are intended to allow psychopathic traits to be measured based on reaction times.