Conduct Disorder In Children: A Quick Guide
Published on July 13th, 2018
Updated on January 3rd, 2024
Conduct disorder is a condition in which a child has behavioral issues. These behavioral issues cause destructive behavior and misconduct. A child with conduct disorder will show little remorse for their actions. This tends to create interpersonal issues with the following:
- Peers
- Teachers
- Family members
- Community
- Classmates
Affected children can be labeled as “trouble” or “dangerous”. Their behavior is often aggressive and threatening. It tends to deter people from engaging with them.
Conduct disorder causes behavior patterns that violate rules or the rights of others. Affected people are aggressive and threatening to people and animals.
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Click HerePeople with conduct disorder are destructive and deceitful. They often struggle with issues with school, work, and peer groups.
Affected people tend to be a nuisance to their community. They often minimize their destructive behavior to not take responsibility for their actions.
Symptoms and Warning Signs of Conduct Disorder
It is important to know how to identify the symptoms and signs of conduct disorder. This will aid in the proper diagnosis of the condition.
People with this disorder will exhibit destructive symptoms and behavioral issues. They may have the following symptomatic behaviors:
- Inflicting harm onto people and/or animals
- Bullying
- Initiating or egging on physical fights
- Acts of violence
- An interest in weapons that extends beyond a hobby
- Using weapons to inflict harm onto others
- Abusing animals
- A poor sense of or disregard for personal boundaries
- Destructive behavior toward self and others
- Criminal behavior
- Lying
- Aggression toward teachers, peers, family members, and authority figures
- Defiance toward authority figures
- Disregard for rules or consequences
- Truancy or skipping school
- Sexual assault or aggression
- Setting fires
- Stealing or robbing property from people or establishments
- Destruction of other people’s property
- Running away from home
- Breaking curfew
With proper diagnosis, a person can get the treatment they need. A person can recover from conduct disorder with a commitment to therapy.
Risk Factors of Conduct Disorder
A combination of different factors can increase the risk of conduct disorder. It typically begins around adolescence but can occur in younger children.
Each case of conduct disorder is different and will be caused by different circumstances. Risk factors include:
- A difficult temperament as an infant or toddler
- Low IQ
- Parental neglect
- Feeling rejected by family members
- Physical or sexual abuse
- A lack of parental supervision
- Having disciplinarian parents
- A lack of consistency while growing up
- Being a part of the foster care system or other institutions
- Having parents with active criminal or antisocial activity
- Growing up around frequent drug and alcohol use
- Exposure to violence in the community
- Having delinquent friends
- Feeling rejected or outcasted by peers or community
- A family history of criminal issues
Conduct disorder can also co-occur with other mental health disorders. This means that having the following conditions increases the risk of conduct disorder:
- ADHD
- Oppositional-defiant disorder
- Learning disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Substance use and addiction
Treatment Options for Conduct Disorder
If left untreated, conduct disorder can worsen. It may develop into antisocial personality disorder. Recovery from conduct disorder is not easy, but it is possible.
Treatment will take time and patience for the affected person and others. This includes the treatment team, friends, family, and teachers. In more extreme cases, residential treatment may be necessary for recovery.
A goal of conduct disorder treatment is to learn healthy coping skills. People in therapy will aim to learn how to take accountability for their actions. They will also learn how to empathize with others and how to be self-aware.
It can be challenging to motivate a person with conduct disorder to engage in treatment. This is partially due to resistance to taking responsibility for their past actions. Children and adolescents may act out in defiance while in treatment.
The following may be incorporated into treatment for conduct disorder:
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy helps a person explore the issues that may contribute to their diagnosis. Such issues that may contribute to their diagnosis issues include:
- Emotional issues
- Interpersonal issues
- Family dynamics
- Self-image
- Behavioral issues
- History of trauma
Psychotherapy also teaches coping skills. These coping skills can help manage the following:
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Impulse control challenges
Behavioral Therapy
Behavioral therapy educates the affected person about their behavior. It also helps with building insight into what contributes to their behavior issues. Behavioral therapy helps a person learn effective coping skills for stress and uncomfortable feelings. These coping skills can be useful for building self-esteem, behavior management skills, and social skills.
Behavioral therapy can also help with improving decision-making skills. This helps with minimizing impulsivity and emotional reactivity.
Family Therapy
Family members can aid in the treatment of conduct disorder. Having family members in therapy can help with boosting motivation. It can also improve relationships in the home.
Family therapy can teach parents how to create a stable and secure home environment. It can also teach other parenting techniques that help in recovery.
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