Conduct disorder

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Conduct disorder is a disorder of childhood and adolescence that involves long-term (chronic) behavior problems, such as:

• Defiant or impulsive behavior
• Drug use
• Criminal activity

Conduct disorder has been associated with:

• Child abuse
• Drug addiction or alcoholism in the parents
• Family conflicts
• Genetic defects
• Poverty

The diagnosis is more common among boys.

It is hard to know how common the disorder is, because many of the qualities needed to make the diagnosis (such as "defiance" and "rule breaking") can be hard to define. For an accurate diagnosis, the behavior must be far more extreme than simple adolescent rebellion or boyish enthusiasm.

Conduct disorder is often associated with attention-deficit disorder. Both conditions carry a risk for alcohol or other drug addiction.

Conduct disorder also can be an early sign of depression or bipolar disorder.

Review Date: 02/28/2011
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, Unviversity of Washington, School of Medicine; and David B. Merrill, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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