What is conduct disorder?
Conduct disorder is a serious behavioral and emotional disorder that affects children and adolescents. Children with conduct disorder behave in a disruptive, troubling, and socially unacceptable way. Behavioral issues are common in children and teens at some time during their development. However, every behavioral issue does not fall into the category of conduct disorder. Conduct disorder occurs when the behavior issues are long-lasting, and when it goes against accepted behavioral norms and disrupts the everyday functioning of a child.
Conduct disorder is characterized by persistent patterns of aggressive, disruptive, and anti-social behaviors that violate societal norms and the rights of others. People with conduct disorder often exhibit difficulties in maintaining social relationships. However, it is a treatable disorder. Early interventions and appropriate treatment are essential to prevent the progression of the disorder into adulthood.
Symptoms of Conduct Disorder
Symptoms of CD are divided into four primary domains:
Aggressive behavior
It includes behaviors that cause physical harm. It involves physical fights, bullying, use of weapons to inflict harm, and cruelty towards animals. Moreover; It also involves forced sexual activities.
Destructive behavior
It includes deliberate destruction of property such as setting fires with intent to cause damage (arson) and harming other person’s property (vandalism).
Deceitfulness or theft
This may include breaking into houses, cars, or buildings, lying to manipulate others, and stealing valuable items.
Serious violations of rules
It includes going against societal norms and values for example running away from home frequently, skipping school, and disregarding parental rules. It also involves engaging in inappropriate behavior according to a person’s age.
Causes of Conduct Disorder
The exact cause of conduct disorder is not entirely understood, however; Factors that contribute to conduct disorder are the following.
Biological Factors
One of the strong factors underlying the genesis of Conduct Disorder is genetics. A child whose family has a history of mental illness, especially with antisocial behavior, is more likely to develop CD. Furthermore, neurotransmitter imbalances, such as those related to serotonin and dopamine, have also been implicated in increasing aggression as well as impulsivity among persons suffering from CD.
Environmental Factors
Conduct disorder is highly common in children who live in abusive homes. Violence, emotional abuse, neglect, or dissolution can have a greater share in contributing to disorder development. Also, poor supervision, inconsistent discipline, and lack of emotional support would lead to children not creating a context in which proper answers develop concerning behavior. This kind of company, plus hanging around delinquent peers or living in a neighborhood rife with crime, is another factor in creating antisocial behaviors.
Psychological Factors
There are psychological factors that trigger or make Conduct Disorder worse. The existence of any other psychiatric disorders as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), depression, or anxiety increases the susceptibility to Conduct Disorder. Impaired moral reasoning, lack of empathy, and poor problem-solving further increase the likelihood of developing antisocial behavior. In addition, children with conduct disorder tend to have difficulties in regulating their emotions, resulting in a poorer ability to form positive relations with the rest of society through adaptation to its norms.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) vs. Conduct Disorder (CD)
Conduct disorder (CD)
Conduct disorder refers to a behavioral and emotional disorder in children and adolescents in which a persistent pattern of aggression, deceitfulness, or serious violations of rules infringes on the basic rights of others and societal norms.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
Oppositional defiant disorder denotes a childhood behavioral disorder characterized by a pattern of defiant and hostile behavior, along with frequent arguing against authority figures like parents, teachers, and caregivers. Children with ODD do not usually harm others, unlike conduct-disordered kids, but are often quite obstinate and angry toward being told what to do or what not to do.
In essence, both Conduct Disorder (CD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) exhibit behavioral problems. However, they differ considerably in the area of damage severity and long-term consequences.
Key Differences
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Behavior Type
Conduct Disorder is characterized by extreme aggression, willful violations of the rules, and law-breaking. Such a child engages in bullying, fighting, stealing, vandalism, and inflicting harm on others. Hence, this behavior shows a deep disregard for society’s rules and escalates into crimes.
In contrast, Oppositional Defiant Disorder involves oppositional, argumentative, and vindictive behavior primarily directed toward authority figures such as parents, teachers, or caregivers. Defiant and hostile behavior is displayed by children with ODD, but they usually do not resort to serious harm or act in a delinquent manner.
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Severity and Effects
The effects of Conduct Disorder differ from those of Oppositional Defiant Disorder, the more damaging being the latter. Most children with CD develop behaviors that highly harm people which invites serious legal issues, school expulsion, and isolation.
In contrast, ODD affects the child to authority figures. It is true that there are all the chances of school, home, and social troubles caused by this disorder, but ODD will hardly land a child into legal trouble or create large social impairments.
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Emotional Regulation and Empathy
One of the main characteristics of Conduct Disorder is that one feels no guilt or remorse when committing a harmful action. Individuals with CD fail to understand or care what effects one’s behavior has on others.
Children with ODD although emotionally reactive, get angry and frustrated to a higher degree, but most of them can feel guilty and remorseful afterward with an emotional outburst.
Treatment of Conduct Disorder
Psychotherapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): It helps children develop better problem-solving skills, impulse control, and empathy and encourages the identification of maladaptive thought patterns followed by fostering their replacement with positive and rewarding behaviors.
- Parent Management Training (PMT): Trains parents to use positive reinforcement and discipline techniques to help manage behavioral problems in their children.
Medications
Currently, there exists no medication that treats CD, but there are medications such as stimulants for ADHD symptoms, antidepressant medications for mood, and mood stabilizers for aggression which presumably could assist in alleviating comorbid symptoms of impulsivity, aggression, and emotional dysregulation.
Educational and Social Interventions
- School-based Programs: School-based behavioral programs aim to enhance social skills and academic performance and improve the emotional regulation of children through teacher support.
- Community Engagement Activities: Structured extracurricular activities, mentorship programs, and volunteering help children learn pro-social skills and develop positive peer relationships.
How SehatYab will be helpful?
SehatYab is an online mental health platform, offers significant support for individuals dealing with Conduct Disorder (CD) by providing access to licensed psychologists and therapists specializing in behavioral disorders through online therapy sessions. SehatYab ensures 24/7 mental health support with instant consultations and crisis intervention services, catering to urgent needs. Additionally, the platform creates customized treatment plans based on individual assessments, providing personalized therapy modules. Furthermore, it facilitates community support groups, allowing families and individuals facing similar challenges to connect and share experiences.
