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This is a classification for children with behavior problems. To "earn" this label, children must exhibit a persistent pattern of behavior that violates the rights of others and/or oversteps the rules of civilized society. Such behavior may be of four broad types. First, there may be aggressive behavior that injures or threatens to injure others. Second, there may be conduct that creates property damage (significant vandalism). A third possibility is deceitfulness or theft, and finally there is the serious violation of rules. Children who have manifested this type of behavior over the previous 12 months, and at least once within the last 6 months, are eligible for a diagnosis of conduct disorder. The diagnosis is typically made only for people younger than 18, but an exception can be made for a person over 18 if they do not meet all criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder. As usual, the behavior must be serious enough to cause significant impairment in academic, social, or occupational pursuits. Diagnosis is complicated by the fact that a "patient" with this disorder will probably lie about his or her behavior, so that the examiner has to depend on objective information or the advice of informants who know the patient well. Informants, too, may have a vested interest in keeping some behaviors secret. Victims, however, are likely to be eager to provide information, particularly because people with conduct disorder may have attacked, raped, robbed, or threatened them, or stolen their property either at gunpoint or via breaking and entering. Cruelty to animals and running away from home are not unusual behaviors for younger children with conduct disorder, nor is forced sexual activity among older children. As with many other disorders, Conduct Disorder ranges from relatively low to very high seriousness, so clinicians may rate cases as mild, moderate, or severe. Conduct
Disorder is most often diagnosed in late childhood or early
adolescence. Most cases improve in adulthood, but being diagnosed
with Conduct Disorder increases the chances that, as an adult, the
person will be diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder or a Substance-related
Disorder. Last updated 12/19/03 |
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