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Page 5 of 6
Conduct Disorder
Studies indicate that conduct disorders are the largest single group
of psychiatric illnesses in adolescents. Often beginning before the
teen years, conduct disorders afflict approximately nine percent of
boys and two percent of girls under the age of 18.
Because the symptoms are closely tied to socially unacceptable,
violent or criminal behavior, many people confuse the illnesses in this
diagnostic category with either juvenile delinquency or the turmoil of
the teen years.
However, recent research suggests that young people suffering from conduct disorders often have underlying problems that have been missed or ignored--epilepsy or a history of head and facial injuries, for example. According to one study, these children are most often diagnosed as schizophrenic when discharged from the hospital.
Children who have demonstrated at least three of the following behaviors over six months should be evaluated for possible conduct disorder:
- Steals--without confrontation as in forgery, and/or by using physical force as in muggings, armed robbery, purse-snatching or extortion.
- Consistently lies other than to avoid physical or sexual abuse.
- Deliberately sets fires.
- Is often truant from school or, for older patients, is absent from work.
- Has broken into someone's home, office or car.
- Deliberately destroys the property of others.
- Has been physically cruel to animals and/or to humans.
- Has forced someone into sexual activity with him or her.
- Has used a weapon in more than one fight.
- Often starts fights.
Researchers have not yet discovered what causes conduct disorders, but they continue to investigate several psychological, sociological and biological theories. Psychological and psychoanalytical theories suggest that aggressive, antisocial behavior is a defense against anxiety, an attempt to recapture the mother-infant relationship, the result of maternal deprivation, or a failure to internalize controls.
Sociological theories suggest that conduct disorders result from a child's attempt to cope with a hostile environment, to get material goods that come with living in an affluent society, or to gain social status among friends. Other sociologists say inconsistent parenting contributes to the development of the disorders.
Finally, biological theories point to a number of studies that indicate youngsters could inherit a vulnerability to the disorders. Children of criminal or antisocial parents tend to develop the same problems. Moreover, because so many more boys than girls develop the disorder, some think male hormones may play a role. Still other biological researchers think a problem in the central nervous system could contribute to the erratic and antisocial behavior.
None of these theories can fully explain why conduct disorders develop. Most likely, an inherited predisposition and environmental and parenting influences all play a part in the illness.
Because conduct disorders do not go away without intervention, appropriate treatment is essential. Aimed at helping young people realize and understand the effect their behavior has on others, these treatments include behavior therapy and psychotherapy, in either individual or group sessions. Some youngsters suffer from depression or attention-deficit disorder as well as conduct disorder. For these children, use of medications as well as psychotherapy has helped lessen the symptoms of conduct disorder.
Pervasive Developmental Disorder
Thought to be the most severe of psychiatric disorders afflicting children, pervasive developmental disorders strike 10 to 15 in every 10,000 children. The disorders affect intellectual skills; responses to sights, sounds, smells and other senses; and the ability to understand language or to talk. Youngsters may assume strange postures or perform unusual movements. They may have bizarre patterns of eating, drinking or sleeping.
Within this diagnosis is autism, which afflicts as many as four out of every 10,000 children. The most debilitating of the pervasive developmental disorders, autism is generally apparent by the time the child is 30 months old. It is three times more common in boys than girls.
continue: More about Autism plus Helpful Child Mental Health Resources
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