Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances> Conduct Disorder

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Facts for Families: Conduct Disorder

"Conduct disorder" refers to a group of behavioral and emotional problems in youngsters.  Children and adolescents with this disorder have great difficulty following rules and behaving in a socially acceptable way.  They are often viewed by other children, adults and social agencies as "bad" or delinquent, rather than mentally ill.  Many factors may contribute to a child developing conduct disorder, including brain damage, child abuse, genetic vulnerability, school failure, and traumatic life experiences.