Conduct Disorder

What is Conduct Disorder? | Causes of Conduct Disorder | Diagnosis of Conduct Disorder

Conduct disorder is diagnosed when children or teenagers repeatedly exhibit several behavioural and emotional problems characterised by a disregard for others and socially-acceptable norms [1]. These youths may also have trouble displaying empathy and respect towards others, as well as following rules.

• Traumatic event(s) [2]
• Brain damage [2]
• Child abuse or neglect [2]
• Genetics [2]
• Failure in school [2]

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5, a child has to display at least three symptoms listed below in the past year, with at least one in the past six months in order to be considered as having a conduct disorder. Additionally, these behaviours have to be clinically significant impairment to the child’s functional life. For the complete diagnosis, please refer to [3]:

• Aggression to people or animals
  • Often bullies, threatens or intimidates others
  • Often initiates physical fights
  • Used a weapon that can cause serious physical harm to others (e.g. a knife)
  • Physically cruel to animals
  • Stolen while confronting a victim (e.g. mugging)
  • Forced someone into sexual activity

• Destruction of property
  • Deliberately engaged in fire setting with the intention of causing serious damage
  • Deliberately destroyed others’ property (other than by fire setting)

• Deceitfulness or Theft
  • Broken into someone else’s house, building, or car
  • Often lies to obtain goods or favours or to avoid obligations (i.e. “cons” others).
  • Has stolen items of nontrivial value without confronting a victim (e.g. shoplifting, but without breaking and entering)

• Violation of rules 
  • Often stays out at night despite parental prohibitions, beginning before age 13 years 
  • Run away from home overnight at least twice while living in the parental or parental surrogate goe, or once without returning for a lengthy period
  • Is often truant from school, beginning before age 13 years

References:

[1] Nationwide Children’s (2021). Conduct Disorders. Nationwide Children’s Hospital. https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/conduct-disorders#:~:text=Conduct%20disorder%20refers%20to%20a,hostile%20and%20sometimes%20physically%20violent 

[2] Johns Hopkins Medicine (2022). Conduct Disorder. Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/conduct-disorder 

[3] Reynolds, C. R., Kamphaus, R. W. (2013). Conduct Disorder. American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5. http://images.pearsonclinical.com/images/assets/basc-3/basc3resources/DSM5_DiagnosticCriteria_ConductDisorder.pdf