The behaviors associated with antisocial and conduct disorder encompass a wide range of behavioral problems, including aggression, oppositionality, delinquency, and violence. These externalizing behaviors tend to be stable and persistent, often increasing in severity and frequency as the individual grows into adolescence and adulthood. This entry describes externalizing behaviors across the lifespan, including their clinical definitions and prevalence in the general population, developmental progression, and related precursors and outcomes.

Clinical Definitions and Prevalence

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; a classification tool for the diagnosis of mental health problems among children, adolescents, and adults), the externalizing behaviors covered here fall into three main categories: oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). ODD is defined as ...

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