Conduct disorder

What is it?

Conduct disorder is a behavioral disorder that can be diagnosed in children and adolescents and is characterized by antisocial behaviors that violate social rules and make it difficult to coexist with their peers.

Antisocial behaviors can include: irresponsibility, transgressive behaviors (truancy, running away from home), violation of the rights of others (stealing) or physical assault. Normally some behaviors accompany others and may well occur in isolation.

Cause

The causes of conduct disorder are multifactorial, although it is believed that there is an important genetic weight and the type of environment where the child grows up as well, that is, children who grow up in unstructured homes are more likely to develop conduct disorder. A relationship has also been seen between low socioeconomic status and these types of disorders. They are patients who can develop criminal behaviors.

Conduct disorders affect 1-4% of children between the ages of 9 and 17 and are more common in boys.

Symptoms

Conduct disorder often manifests itself in conjunction with other mood disorders such as anxiety or stress, attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder, or drug abuse.

The symptoms of conduct disorders interfere with relationships with others, learning and the child's adaptation at school.

The most common symptoms can be divided into four large groups:

• Aggressive behavior: they can be threats or physical / verbal aggressions towards others. It can manifest as intimidating behavior, a tendency to fight, use of weapons, cruelty to animals, or abuse of all kinds.
• Destructive behavior: such as vandalism, destruction of others, setting fires
• Deception: habitual use of lies, theft and delinquency.
• Violation of the rules: in children or adolescents it is typical not to attend school, make practical jokes, run away from home or start sexual activity early.

Treatment

Treatment should be individualized but may include cognitive behavioral therapy to increase the patient's ability to solve problems and increase the ability to communicate or control impulses and anger. Family or group therapy can also be interesting.

Medication is not considered very effective in this type of disorder except to alleviate some symptoms such as anxiety.