AntiSocial Personality Disorder: The Case of Theodore Bundy

Andrea Petrolini, May 2002

Ted Bundy was born in Vermont on November 24, 1946. He grew up with his mother, never
knowing who his father was. Bundy spent the first three years of his life in Philadelphia. At age 4
Bundy and his mother moved to Washington. It was at this time that his mother met Johnnie
Bundy. Ted was very jealous of his mother’s relationship with Johnnie. In 1953 Ted’s mother and
Johnnie were married. They later had four children.

At the age of 7, Ted’s second grade teacher broke a ruler over his hand for punching one of his
classmates in the face. This is when he first noticed his feelings of “disturbing uneasiness” as he
called it.

Although Ted seemed to have some behavioral problems in school, his grades were above
average. He attributes his success to his mother’s diligent efforts to help him with his homework.
His mother did not however discuss any personal matters with Ted. She did not socialize or gossip
with others and never discussed her childhood.

Ted also kept to himself and from early on chose to be alone. Ted found it difficult to socialize and
did not participate in organized activities. Ted tried out for the baseball and basketball teams, but
didn’t make it. This was very traumatic for him. Because of this Ted decided to try skiing. He used
to make fake ski tickets so he could ski for free. He was never caught.

When Ted was asked about his childhood, he described it as lonely and empty. He felt that he was
overlooked by his parents. He did make some friends in junior high , but still lacked in his social
skills. In high school he had only one date because he felt “inept with girls”.

In January of 1974 in Seattle, Ted Bundy’s first murder was documented. His had smashed a rod
over Sharon Clarke’s head while she was sleeping. Sharon was a stranger to Bundy and no reason
for the attack was ever given. A few weeks later, a college student living a couple of blocks from
Sharon disappeared. From March until June four more female college students disappeared.

Bundy used his good looks and charm to persuade young women to help him. In July of 1974
Bundy approached several young women with his arm in a sling and asked them to help him put a
sailboat on top of his car. One young women agreed to help him and was never seen again. The
same day another women disappeared from the washroom at the same lake. The remains of these
two women and several others were found in a forest near the lake. All of his victims tended to be
college-age, white, attractive women. Bundy continued this killing spree until October of 1974.

In November Bundy tried to catch another victim, but she escaped, however he did kill another
woman that same day. Then in January of 1975 Bundy began killing again, this time in Colorado.
Several woman were reported missing from different places.

Finally on August 16, 1975 Bundy was arrested for driving suspiciously slowly down the street and
refusing to stop when ordered by a police officer. The officer found a hair that matched one of the
victim’s in Bundy’s car, and a witness said they saw Bundy the night another victim disappeared.
Bundy was tried for murder in Aspen, Colorado.

Bundy insisted on defending himself and was provided law books as he requested. He was also
allowed to wander the Aspen law library where he jumped out the window and escaped. Eight
days later he was recaptured and this time kept under heavy watch.

Because of Bundy’s legal skills, he was able to delay the case by filing many motions. During this
time period he lost weight and carved a hole in his prison cell, which he was able to squeeze
through and escape a second time. He traveled to many places and ended up in Tallahassee,
Florida near the FSU sorority houses.

On January 15,1978 five young women from a sorority house were severely beaten. Two of them
died and at least two of them were raped. One month later a 12 year old was found raped and
strangled to death. On February 15, 1978 Bundy was again arrested for failing to stop when
ordered by a police officer. It didn’t take long for them to discover Bundy was wanted for murder
in Colorado.

Bundy admitted to 23 murders and was sentenced to death. He died in the electric chair on
January 24, 1989, in Florida.

Bundy was classified as high Factor 1 psychopath. This means he is very intelligent and had few
indications of psychopathy early in life. The components of a factor 1 psychopath include a
grandiose sense of self, pathological lying, conning-manipulative behaviors, lack of remorse, lack
of empathy, and failure to accept responsibility.

Psychopathy is the label name for antisocial personality disorder. Individuals with antisocial
personality disorder are often charming, spontaneous, and likable at first, but are actually deceitful
and manipulative. Many people suffering from ASPD live only in the present and have no
consideration for the past or future (Carson, Butcher, & Mineka, p.312). People with ASPD behave
as if social regulations do not apply to them. They do as they please and feel no remorse for their
wrong-doing. They persistently disregard and violate the rights of others.

Only people 18 years or older are diagnosed with ASPD. According to the DSM, this diagnosis is
made only when these three criteria are met. (1)There have been at least three behavioral
problems occurring after age 15. (2) There were at least three instances of deviant behavior before
age 15. (3) The antisocial behavior is not a symptom of another mental disorder such as
schizophrenia or a manic episode.

Bundy is a classic example of an antisocial behavior. He was charming and likable while at the
same time extremely manipulative. He showed no feelings of remorse for any of his victims. He
was also very intelligent and used this to his advantage.

The problem with ASPD, especially factor 1 psychopathy, is that it is very difficult to treat.
Treatment has shown to be effective in the average criminal, however not with psychopaths, such
as Bundy. There is actually a chance that psychopaths who are high factor 1 may get worse with
treatment because instead of learning about themselves, they learn more about others and use
that information.

As with treating any personality disorder, getting the person into therapy and keeping them
involved is very difficult. Most individuals, including Bundy, have no interest in changing their
behavior. It is also difficult because high factor 1s are so deceitful and manipulative it is hard to
believe anything they say.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a technique often used for the treatment of ASPD. According to
our book, cognitive-behavioral interventions include: increasing self-control, self-critical thinking,
and social perspective-taking; victim awareness; anger management; changing antisocial attitudes;
curing any drug addictions; and reducing contacts with antisocial peers and improving interactions
with nonantisocial peers.

It is very unlikely that cognitive therapy will be effective, especially with someone like Ted Bundy.
The most effective tool possible is prevention. It is very important to prevent children misbehaving
and intervene any behavioral problems at an early age.