Conduct Disorders Overview

Characteristics of Conduct Disorder

• Hallmark feature: aggressive behavior consistently displayed.
• Individuals typically perform below expected levels based on IQ and age.

Signs and Symptoms

• Manifestations include aggressive actions, destruction of property, deceitfulness, theft, and blatant disregard for established rules.

Definition

• Conduct disorder involves a persistent pattern of behavior that violates the rights of others and disregards societal norms.
• Common behaviors include initiating physical fights, bullying, stealing, and using weapons for intimidation or harm.
• Coercive acts, including unwanted sexual activities, are characteristic.

Onset and Persistence

• Symptoms must endure for 6 months or longer.
• Individuals may have normal intelligence but frequently disrupt academics, leading to potential expulsion or dropping out.
• Motivated by thrill-seeking, they often exhibit indifference to consequences.

Subtypes of Conduct Disorder

• Child-Onset: Symptoms present before age 10, primarily in males; often aggressive with poor peer interactions; low concern for others and lack of remorse; may misinterpret social cues as hostile.
• Adolescent-Onset: No symptoms before age 10; misconduct is often grouped with peers, including sexual behavior, substance abuse, and risk-taking; males engage in fighting and stealing, while females may lie or run away.

Prevalence

• One of the most common disorders among children and adolescents, with an estimated prevalence of 5.4% in mental health facilities.

Causes

• Exact causes remain unknown, but biological and psychosocial components may influence development, particularly in twins and adopted children.

Risk Factors

• Early maternal rejection and separation from parents without alternative caregivers.
• Experiences of abuse, neglect, or family violence.
• Frequent verbal abuse from authority figures.
• Conditions such as large family size, overcrowding, poverty, and parental psychiatric issues.

Treatment Approaches

• Psychotherapy: Varied techniques to modify troubling emotions and behaviors, including:
  • Parent management training
  • Anger management training
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Community-based interventions
• Pharmacotherapy: Use of stimulants, antidepressants, lithium, anticonvulsants, and clonidine.
• Importance of early identification of at-risk children for effective intervention.