beyondthebehaviorblog

Welcome to Beyond the Behavior, my little corner of the internet where we examine the complex relationship between personality, psychopathology, and human behavior while challenging ourselves to look beyond labels and stereotypes. I have always been fascinated not only by what people do, but by why they do it. This space allows me to explore what lies beneath the surface by connecting research, clinical experience, and my perspective as a clinician and scholar.

My name is Devine Carson-Mathis, and I am a master’s-level clinician with a background in forensic psychology. I earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in Psychology, specializing in Forensic Psychology, from Grand Canyon University. Throughout my career, I have worked with children, adults, justice-involved individuals, and people experiencing complex mental health concerns and trauma. These experiences have shown me that human behavior is rarely as simple as it appears.

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) is one area where looking beyond behavior is especially important. ASPD is characterized by a persistent pattern of socially irresponsible, exploitative, and guiltless behavior that can affect multiple areas of an individual’s life (Black, 2025). Although ASPD is often associated with criminal behavior, antisocial behavior is much more complex than criminality alone. Research suggests that genetic and environmental factors both contribute to individual differences in antisocial behavior, highlighting the importance of understanding how biological vulnerabilities interact with environmental experiences (Pezzoli et al., 2025).

Through Beyond the Behavior, I hope to examine these complexities while challenging the assumptions and stereotypes often attached to psychological disorders and exploring the factors that shape behavior beyond what we see on the surface.

References:

1. Black D. W. (2025). Antisocial personality disorder: current evidence and challenges. World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 24(2), 271–272. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21321
2. Pezzoli, P., McCrory, E. J., & Viding, E. (2025). Shedding light on antisocial behavior through genetically informed research. Annual Review of Psychology, 76(1), 797–819. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-021524-043650