Conduct Disorders
Children who have conduct disorder are often hard to control. They may also be unwilling to follow rules. They develop patterns of aggressive behaviors that begin early in childhood while violating basic rights of peers and family members. The average age of onset of symptoms is 10-14 years old. Conduct disorder can co-occur with other mental health disorders such as: ADHD, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Your child may have conduct disorder if they persistently display one or more of the following behaviors:
- aggressive conduct
- deceitful behavior
- destructive behavior
- violation of rules
Clinical symptoms may include:
Aggressive conduct
- physical behavior (i.e. harming people or animals on purpose)
- committing rape
- using a weapon
- intimidating or bullying others
Deceitful behavior
- lying
- breaking and entering
- stealing
- forgery
Destructive behavior
- Destructive conduct (i.e. may include arson and other destructive behavior)
Violation of rules
- skipping school
- running away from home
- substance abuse (i.e. drug and alcohol use)
- sexual behavior at a very young age
Diagnosis and Treatment:
- A thorough psychiatric history of the patient is obtained while focusing on early childhood milestones and type/patterns of misbehaviors
- First line treatment for conduct disorder is cognitive behavioral therapy as well as family therapy
- Medication is given when co-occurring disorders are present and those symptoms can be treated
We are here to help you or your loved one that may be suffering from symptoms of conduct disorder. To schedule an appointment, you can either call our office or click on the link below to view our availability and scheduling.
