Risk Factors for Conduct Disorders and Antisocial Personality Disorders

Introduction Conduct disorder is one of the most common psychiatric disorders of children and adolescents between the ages of four and 16 (Shamsie 2001). Conduct disorders are prevalent among 5-10% of the children and adolescents ages 8-16, diagnosed in late childhood or early adolescent years (Hill 2000). Conduct disorder is more common among boys than girls, with studies indicating that the rate among boys in the general population ranges from 6% to 16% while the rate among girls ranges from 2% to 9%. Diagnoses of conduct disorder peak for boys at age 10, whereas diagnoses of conduct disorder among girls rise through age 16 (Cohen et al., 1993). Conduct disorder is not only associated with impaired functioning in childhood (Earls, 1994) but can lead to psychiatric and social difficulties in adult life (Robins 1978). Some studies demonstrate that up to 40% of those who had been diagnosed as having conduct disorder in childhood continue to have serious psychological disturbances in adulthood (Shamsie 2001). Conduct disorder is a devastating condition, not only because youth with the disorder repeatedly inflict physical harm and property loss on others, but also because the youth themselves are at risk for other forms of psychopathology (e.g., depression, suicide, substance abuse). The high prevalence and severity of the problems, personal and societal, arising from aggressive and disruptive behaviors in children demand an understanding of the multitude of nested risk factors for conduct and antisocial personality disorders (Hill 2002). In this review we hope to present the current state of knowledge about non-genetic, potentially modifiable risk factors for conduct disorders (CD) and antisocial personality disorders (APD).