If we consult the DSM-IV criteria, we can see that a conduct disorder may be diagnosed when a kid seriously misbehaves with aggressive or nonaggressive behaviors against people, animals or property that may be characterized as destructive, belligerent, threatening, deceitful, physically cruel, dishonest or disobedient. This may include intentional injury, forced sexual activity,and stealing. Keep in mind that this behavior disorder consists of a pattern of severe, repetitive acting-out behavior and not of an isolated incident here and there.
As mentioned, conduct disorder is a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior in which the basic rights of others, or major rules and values of society are broken, as shown by the presence of three (or more) of the following behavior patterns in the past one year, with at least one behavior pattern present in the past six months:
Destruction of property:
1. Has deliberately destroyed others’ property (other than by fire setting).
2. Has deliberately engaged in fire setting with the intention of causing serious damage.
Aggression to people and animals:
1. Has forced someone into sexual activity.
2. Often bullies, threatens, or intimidates others.
3. Has been physically cruel to people.
4. Has stolen while confronting a victim (for example, mugging, purse snatching, extortion, armed robbery.
5. Often initiates physical fights.
6. Has been physically cruel to animals.
7. Has used a weapon that can cause serious physical harm to others (for example, a bat, brick, broken bottle, knife, gun).
Serious violations of rules:
13. Is often truant from school, beginning before age 13 years
14. Has run away from home overnight at least twice while living in parental or parental surrogate home (or once without returning for a lengthy period)
15. Often stays out at night despite parental prohibitions, beginning before age 13 years
Deceitfulness or theft:
10. Has stolen items of nontrivial value without confronting a victim (for example, shoplifting, but without breaking and entering; forgery).
11. Often lies to obtain goods or favors or to avoid obligations (in other words, “cons” others.
12. Has broken into someone else’s house, building, or car.
The DSM-IV says that in order to diagnosis conduct disorder in a teen, the disturbance in behavior must be causing significant problems in that person’s life, including at school, with friends and family, and on the job. In other words, if a kid gets into a big trouble one time, learns from the experience and never does it again, he or she probably does not have a conduct disorder.
Conduct disorder may be diagnosed in an individual 18 years or older if that individual displays some of the behaviors listed above but does not appear to have behaviors usually found in Antisocial Personality Disorder.