Which personality disorder is often associated with a lack of conscience for wrongdoing?

Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of disregard for the rights of others and a lack of conscience regarding wrongdoing. Individuals with this disorder often exhibit behaviors such as deceitfulness, impulsivity, irritability, and a failure to conform to social norms. They may engage in illegal activities or exploit others without feeling guilt or remorse for their actions.

This disorder often manifests in childhood or adolescence with symptoms like aggression, destruction of property, and serious violations of rules, which can evolve into more serious behaviors in adulthood. The marked absence of empathy or moral standards is a crucial aspect of antisocial personality disorder, setting it apart from other personality disorders, which do not share these specific traits associated with a lack of conscience.

In contrast, the other personality disorders listed have different core characteristics; for example, paranoid personality disorder is primarily characterized by pervasive distrust and suspicion of others, avoidant personality disorder involves feelings of inadequacy and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation, and borderline personality disorder features unstable moods, behavior, and relationships but does not inherently involve a lack of conscience.