Forensic Psychology and Criminal Behavior

Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative identity disorder is a mental health condition that produces a lapse in the connection between a person’s thoughts, emotional state, actions, and sense of identity. Commonly reported signs of this mental disorder include but are not limited to amnesia, anxiety, depression, disorientation, drug abuse, and suicidal thoughts, among others (Tomlin, 2020). Victims of this disorder are said to experience multiple personality states that impact their conduct at different times. The cause of this type of mental health condition is believed to stem from several factors, like a reaction to severe trauma experienced in childhood and sexual or emotional abuse. Forensic psychology is essential in explaining the possibility of dissociation, whereby criminals may decline liability for some violent activities.

Victims of dissociative identity disorder may experience amnesia symptoms in which they cannot remember or control access to information about themselves. Forensic psychology research on amnesia revealed that there was low sugar utilization on the part of the brain that functions to access information about the self (Tomlin, 2020). There is evidence from this study that forensic psychology can be applied to addressing the issue of dissociative identity disorder since psychologists do forensic and clinical assessments on dissociative disorder issues. They do this by researching the background history and past events of the victims, such as coping behaviors and brain functioning.

On the other hand, in several cases, criminal behavior is associated with a dissociative mental disorder. A study of 105 people involved in criminal acts discovered that 20% had partial or complete amnesia (Tomlin, 2020). Many could not take responsibility for the crime since they could not remember what had transpired. Scholars argue that individuals may engage in criminal behavior due to dissociation in their mental functioning. Dissociation is reported to be one of the factors leading to criminal acts, especially acts that involve a significant amount of violence. The criminalization of dissociation-based acts is achieved by the court’s collaboration with forensic psychologists who do evaluations of the criminals and the acts to deliver a determination. Therefore, dissociative identity disorder victims may be determined by evaluating their criminal behavior.

Antisocial Behavior

Antisocial behavior is closely related to criminal behavior, but it is distinct since not all antisocial behaviors are criminal acts. However, criminal behavior is a form of antisocial behavior involving unlawful criminal acts. Generally, antisocial behavior is defined as any act that may be harmful or not considerate of the psychological conditioning of other members of society. Antisocial behavior is any misconduct that negatively disrupts the mental state of others and may violate the rights of other members of a group. Antisocial behavior emanates from interactions with the family and society at large.

The members of society label any behavior that contradicts the established norms in society as antisocial behavior. Forensic psychology, in this case, determines antisocial personality disorder from antisocial behaviors. There are some antisocial behaviors that forensic psychologists may not identify as emanating from an antisocial personality disorder. For example, an individual who commits a specific antisocial behavior toward a specific victim at a particular time may not be diagnosed with an antisocial personality disorder. According to forensic psychology, an individual must have demonstrated such disordered behavior before age fifteen to be diagnosed with an antisocial personality disorder (Tomlin, 2020). Forensic psychologists must thoroughly review the history of the individual they are involved in declaring as having an antisocial personality disorder.

Most antisocial behaviors are criminal and are left to the criminal justice system to convict. The court collaborates with forensic psychologists to determine whether the criminals have an antisocial personality disorder. Examples of antisocial behaviors that are criminalized include robbery, murder, child abuse, and suicide, among others. Alcohol abuse and adultery are two examples of antisocial behaviors that are not illegal under the law but pose a threat to societal norms.

Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder

Depersonalization or derealization is a mental state where the victim has a persistent feeling or a sense that they are operating outside their bodies and that the environment around them is unrealistic. Psychologists reveal that this type of mental condition is disturbing in such a way that individuals may feel like they are constantly dreaming. Research suggests that many people experience this co