Conduct disorder is a disruptive behavior disorder that affects a child or adolescent’s relationship to social norms and rules and regulations set by authorities. Children with this disorder often come across as defiant, vengeful, aggressive, untamed and hostile. They tend to indulge in various forms of antisocial activities that may pose a threat to them as well as others. The age of onset of conduct disorder is 9 years and may proceed on to adolescence. The term Juvenile delinquency is often used to refer to the breaching of law committed by children diagnosed with this disorder.

It is however, important to differentiate between the less serious pranks carried out by normal children and adolescents and the constant antisocial activities in which children with conduct disorder indulge such as destruction of public or private property, harming animals and injuring others in which the rights of other individuals are seriously violated.

Risk factor:

Conduct disorder is closely related to antisocial personality disorder and there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that in some children traits of ASPD begin developing gradually from childhood. Research also shows a pattern of continuity of conduct disorder from childhood to adolescence and later on adulthood. This disorder may take the form of ASPD in adults, but not all children with conduct problems go on to become antisocial personalities. If proper treatment and behavior modification techniques are applied, this disorder can be curbed in childhood.

Symptoms of Conduct Disorder:

Children or adolescents with this disorder show a constant and repetitive pattern of violation of the rights or others, impaired social skills marked by hostility and aggression towards others. These children come across as extremely disobedient, vengeful, quarrelsome, and have a tendency to lie about small things. They may constantly indulge in acts of theft, vandalism or homicidal activities. Children diagnosed with conduct disorder shoe traits of verbal and physical aggressiveness that can be harmful to them as well as others. They have a disregard for the rights of others and may show signs of sexual openness and inclination towards being sexually aggressive. These individuals may indulge in acts of substance abused and may also have symptoms of depression.

Causes of Conduct Disorder:

Psychological Factors: Children with Conduct Disorder often show apprehensive attachment to their parents and live in downbeat environments that may involve paucity, large family size and being placed in foster care. In addition, their parents often use harsh child rearing practices, which may actually encourage violent behavior.

Environmental factors: These involve rejection of the child by peers, anger and alienation of the child by parents and teachers and confused relationship of the child with the primary custodian. Other factors may include patents with an unstable marriage, inability of the parents to provide affection, direction or love to the child and family conflict leading to separation or divorce.