Am J Psychiatry 1975; 132:720-722
Copyright © 1975 by American Psychiatric Association
"Sociopathy" and its synonyms: inappropriate diagnoses in child psychiatry
DO Lewis and
The use of the diagnosis "sociopathy" and its synonyms hinders the search
for other kinds of symptomatology, the recognition of which might lead to
appropriate therapeutic intervention. The authors therefore suggest that
the terms "sociopathic personality," "antisocial personality," and "acting
out aggressive reaction of childhood or adolescence" be eliminated as
primary diagnoses from the psychiatric nomenclature for children or
adolescents. Two case reports are presented to emphasize the damage these
diagnoses can cause.
