Jeffrey Dahmer: His Complicated, Comorbid Psychopathologies and Treatment Implications

Abstract

The American serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was afflicted with a unique constellation of psychological and personality disorders, as well as severe social skill deficits. The study of such a case can illuminate possible links between seemingly distinct disorders, such as pedophilia and substance abuse, and attempted treatment of such a person could prove a useful research means into developing treatment protocols for clients with similar disor- ders. The author examines a journalist's account of Dahmer's behavior as the primary source of information about his disorders, incorporating scholarly sources as a secondary means of gaining insight into this unique case.