A dimensional approach to personality disorders in a sample of juvenile offenders

in a sample of 60 male italian subjects imprisoned at a juvenile detention institute (jdi), psychopathological aspects of the axis ii were described and the validity of a psychopathological dimensional approach for describing criminological issues was examined. the data show that the sample has psychopathological characteristics which revolve around ego weakness and poor management of relations and aggression. statistically these psychopathological characteristics explain 85% of criminal behavior.