This paper is concerned with a group of patients who show repeated evidence of antisocial behavior and whose peculiarities are primarily characterized by impulsiveness and irresponsibility, intense but labile emotional states and superficial love relationships. Alcoholism, drug addiction and sex perversion are common among them and they get themselves into repeated difficulties without seeming to learn from experience. Psychoanalysis is difficult to carry out because of these qualities.

Greenacre is impressed with certain recurrent configurations in the life histories of her cases. The father is frequently a prominent, stern and remote figure; the mother is frivolous, narcissistic and overindulgent. Pride rather than love is prominent in the family relationships. Difficulties in reality testing