Conduct Disorder in Children
Conduct disorder is a personality disorder seen in children or
adolescents where there are repeated bouts of disruptive
behavior. These children or adolescents frequently break rules and ignore the basic
rights of other people. They also cause physical harm to others or animals, steal,
lie, and show other "bad" behaviors.
What is going on in the body?
More research needs to be done before experts fully
understand the mechanisms at work in this disorder.
What are the causes and risks of the condition?
The causes of conduct disorders are unknown. Theories include:
chemical imbalance in the brain
physical causes
genetic or inherited traits
chaotic home environments with little structure or predictability
the child's temperament or the family's response to it
The major risk of conduct disorder in childhood is that the
child may develop one of the following conditions as an adult:
antisocial personality disorder
mood or anxiety disorders
substance abuse disorder
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