Conduct Disorder: Psychological Factors

Conduct disorder (CD) is identified by a pattern of persistent violation of major rules, norms, or the rights of others. The symptoms reflect 15 discrete behaviors, resulting in a heterogeneous presentation that complicates the characterization of the processes associated with the construct. Nevertheless, the fact that CD requires a pattern of behaviors persisting over time—along with ample evidence for CD as a meaningful category in a nosological system—implies that some cohesive psychopathological process or processes are at work. Attempts to describe these processes have identified several primary dispositional psychological factors and comprehensive models of propensity to CD that co-occur with or precede the manifestation of CD behaviors. In some combination, atypical functioning within factors such as noncompliance, impulsivity, callousness or limited prosocial emotions, social cognitions, ...