Conduct Disorder

What is Conduct Disorder?
Conduct disorder results in a significant impairment of functioning. It involves a pattern of behavior that includes several of the following:
• Breaking the rules
• Lying
• Getting into physical fights
• Physically harming another person with a weapon
• Threatening or intimidating people
• Being physically cruel to people or animals
• Forcing sexual activity on another person
• Deliberately destroying property
• Deliberately setting fires
• Stealing things from people, such as in robbery or mugging
• Stealing things when others are not present, such as in shoplifting or forgery
• Breaking into a car, house, or building
• Lying to get things from others
• Staying out at night without parental per- mission
• Running away from parents’ or guardians’ home and staying away overnight
• Frequently skipping school

What is the Treatment for Conduct Disorder?

It is difficult to treat children and adolescents with conduct disorder. It may be difficult to obtain the trust and cooperation of the child and his or her parents. Treatment usually lasts a long time and includes a combination of the following:

1. Behavior modification therapy to help the child learn new ways of handling life situations in an acceptable way
2. Anger management training
3. Special education services if the child has learning disabilities
4. Medication, if the child has attention deficits and depression

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