Conduct Disorder in Adults: How to Treat Conduct Disorder

Conduct disorder is a serious condition that can take a heavy toll on an adult’s life. From criminal behavior to getting into physical fights, adults with conduct disorder often face many difficulties.

If you’re an adult with conduct disorder, or you’re supporting someone with conduct disorder, you’ll likely have first-hand experience of how this condition can turn a person’s life upside down from as early as 10 years of age.

I’m sure you’ll agree it’s not an easy condition to understand or manage. You may have found that certain treatment options haven’t worked for you. Or perhaps you’re at the beginning of your journey, and you want to know more about this condition.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to manage conduct disorder or support someone struggling with the condition. Below, we explore the ins and outs of conduct disorder in adults, as well as tips and treatment options to cope with the condition.

What Is Conduct Disorder in Adults?

Conduct disorder is a disruptive behavior condition that involves patterns of aggressive behaviors and actions that violate other people’s rights. Conduct disorder may appear similar to oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), but conduct disorder is typically more severe. In some cases, ODD may pave the way for conduct disorder.¹

Conduct disorder in adults can also appear similar to antisocial personality disorder. However, the two are separate conditions. In fact, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), an adult cannot be diagnosed with conduct disorder if they meet the criteria for antisocial personality disorder (APD).

In cases where a person meets the criteria for conduct disorder and antisocial personality disorder, the person would receive a diagnosis for APD. Let me explain why this is: conduct disorder is typically diagnosed in children as early as 10 years old, but it’s less common in adulthood. However, conduct disorder in childhood can lead to antisocial personality disorder as an adult.²

What Does Conduct Disorder Look Like in Adults?

Conduct disorder is individual to every person who experiences it. However, there tend to be patterns of behavioral and emotional symptoms that overlap.

Behavioral Symptoms of Conduct Disorder in Adults

The following are some of the behavioral symptoms common among adults diagnosed with conduct disorder²:

Bullying others
Stealing from others
Breaking into houses
Starting physical fights
Persistent rule-breaking
Coercing others into sexual activity
Physical aggression to people and/or animals
Setting fires or destroying other people’s property

This is not an exhaustive list, and you or someone you know with conduct disorder may show a slightly different pattern of behaviors. That’s normal.

Emotional Signs of Adult Conduct Disorder

Below are some of the common emotional signs of adult conduct disorder²:

Irritability
Impulsivity
Angry outbursts
Negative emotions
Low tolerance for frustration
Blaming others for problems or difficulties
Lack of remorse for actions that upset or hurt others

Again, this isn’t all of the emotional signs of conduct disorder in adults. However, these are some of the most commonly associated with the condition.

What Causes Conduct Disorder in Adults?

Conduct disorder isn’t a straightforward condition. We cannot say that any factors outright cause conduct disorder. However, research does suggest multiple biological and environmental factors may increase the risk of someone having a conduct disorder in adulthood.

Some (but not all) of the potential causes of conduct disorder in adults are¹:

Developmental delays
Experiencing a traumatic brain injury
Parents engaging in criminal behavior
Lack of structure in the home environment
Growing up in a harsh or abusive environment
Surrounded by gang violence in the community
Marital conflict between parents during childhood
Domestic violence between parents during childhood
No or unhealthy parental supervision during childhood
Genetic factors, such as genes responsible for emotion regulation, aggression, and irritability.

If you or an adult you know has experienced any of those in the list above and need support, contact Mission Connection today at 866-619-3844. We can offer immediate support.

Effects of Conduct Disorder in Adults

If you’re living with a conduct disorder diagnosis, I don’t need to tell you that it can have a significant effect on your life. Conduct disorder tends to have a big impact on a person’s life in more ways than one, affecting relationships, work life, and mental health.

Studies show that children struggling with conduct disorder typically find achieving in school more difficult, and this extends to their working lives as adults. As a result, they often have lower incomes and lower levels of life satisfaction.³

What’s more, as criminal, disruptive, and antisocial behavior are key signs of conduct disorder, adults with this condition are at a higher risk of incarceration, which can impact their abilities to hold down a job.³

Adults with conduct disorder also tend to experience relationship problems, which can lead to relationship breakdowns, divorce, or separation.³

Finally, conduct disorder in adults often occurs alongside other mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. This can cause further disruption to a person’s life, making it difficult to go about day-to-day activities.³

While it’s clear that conduct disorder can take a heavy toll on an adult’s life, it’s reassuring to know that multiple treatment options are available. What’s more, there are life changes adults with conduct disorder can make to help them cope with the condition.

Treatment for Conduct Disorder in Adults

Let’s explore some of the main treatment options to support adults with a conduct disorder diagnosis. These include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Adults with conduct disorder often see the world in a negative light, and this may lead them to blame others or minimize the impact of their disruptive behaviors. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps adults with conduct disorder challenge these negative thinking patterns and learn to reframe these in healthier ways.⁴

CBT also focuses on building people’s impulse control, which can help those with conduct disorder with their impulsivity and emotion regulation difficulties. For more guidance on how CBT can benefit you, check out our CBT treatment at Mission Connection.⁴

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) also helps people challenge their negative thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, but its main focus is on regulating emotions, becoming more mindful, and learning how to manage difficult feelings.⁵

DBT also teaches various skills related to relationships, such as conflict resolution strategies, healthy communication skills, and ways to make and maintain healthy relationships. This can help those with conduct disorder form stronger, longer-lasting relationships.⁵

Check out Mission Connection’s DBT treatment for more information.

Medication for Conduct Disorder in Adults

Experts recommend therapy as the main course of treatment for adults with conduct disorder. However, if your conduct disorder is drastically affecting your life or you’re struggling to manage your symptoms, medication can play a supportive role alongside therapy.

Medications can help to manage specific symptoms associated with conduct disorder, such as:

Impulsivity: Medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can help improve impulsive control.⁶
Aggression: Meditations like antipsychotics (risperidone) and mood stabilizers (lithium, carbamazepine, Depakote) are sometimes used off-label to help reduce aggression in those with conduct disorder.⁶
Co-occurring Mental Health Difficulties: SSRIs or antidepressants may also be prescribed to treat co-occurring mental conditions, such as anxiety or depression.⁶

However, it’s important to note that medications have their limitations. They are not a cure for conduct disorder, and they are more effective when used alongside therapy. What’s more, you don’t have to take medication. If you prefer to follow the therapeutic route, that is perfectly fine.

Group Therapy

Your heart might lurch when you hear the words “group therapy,” especially if you struggle to get along with others as a result of conduct disorder. However, group therapy can have many benefits for people with conduct disorder. The main benefits include:

Learn From Others: Group members will come from all walks of life and may be at a different stage in their conduct disorder journey from you. In group therapy, you can learn from other people’s experiences and develop new coping strategies.
Know You’re Not Alone: Sometimes, conditions like conduct disorder can make us feel incredibly alone; like no one in the world knows how we feel. Group therapy is the ideal setting to remind ourselves that others have experienced similar difficulties.
Build Relationships: Group therapy can help you build strong, long-lasting relationships with people with shared experiences who understand what you have gone through.

Group therapy programs involving mentalization-based training are particularly helpful for adults with conduct disorder, as they can help you develop your social skills and prosocial behaviors.

Tips for Managing Conduct Disorder

Living with conduct disorder can be a real challenge. However, with perseverance and the right support around you, you can learn to manage your symptoms and feel more in control of your life.

1. Stay Consistent With Therapy

Repeated evidence shows that therapy approaches such as CBT and DBT are hugely effective for those with conduct disorder. They can help you alter your thinking, improve your emotional regulation, and build social skills.

2. Build a Strong Support System

Everyone needs people supporting them, especially those struggling with conduct disorder. Having a strong group of family or friends around you can give you a sense of community.

3. Prioritize Mindfulness

Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises, are incredibly helpful for conduct disorder in adults. These practices will help you focus on the present moment, increase your self-awareness, and reduce your emotional reactivity, helping you live a less disruptive life.

Get Treatment for Adult Conduct Disorder

Conduct disorder can turn your life upside down, leaving you at the end of your tether and confused about how to move forward. If you’re supporting a loved one with conduct disorder, you may be exhausted and overwhelmed. Fortunately, there are treatment options available.

If you’re struggling to manage your conduct disorder but want to access therapeutic support from your home, or you like the idea of attending therapy sessions before returning to your normal lifestyle, our outpatient mental health programs are a great choice.

Our outpatient services give you access to top-quality yet flexible mental health support to fit around your schedule. At Mission Connection, we offer outpatient group therapy and medication management as well as individual therapy, so you can choose the right treatment approach for you.

What’s more, we try our best to make our services inclusive to all. If you’re struggling with low income and you need affordable treatment options, we also offer multiple payment options.

For flexible treatment to support your lifestyle, get in touch with us today.

References

1. Mohan, L., Yilanli, M., & Ray, S. (2023). Conduct Disorder. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.

2. American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

3. Olino, T. M., Seeley, J. R., & Lewinsohn, P. M. (2010). Conduct disorder and psychosocial outcomes at age 30: Early adult psychopathology as a potential mediator. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 38(8), 1139–1149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-010-9427-9

4. Kumuyi, D. O., Akinnawo, E. O., Akpunne, B. C., Akintola, A. A., Onisile, D. F., & Aniemeka, O. O. (2022). Effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy and social skills training in management of conduct disorder. South African Journal of Psychiatry, 28. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/sajpsyc/article/view/241249

5. Stadler, C., Manetsch, M., & Vriends, N. (2016). Dialectical behavior therapy approaches with disruptive behavior disorders [Article in German]. Zeitschrift für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie, 44(6), 443–454. https://doi.org/10.1024/1422-4917/a000478

6. Black, D. W. (2017). The treatment of antisocial personality disorder. Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry, 4, 295–302. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40501-017-0125-4

7. Bateman, A. W. (2021). Mentalizing and group psychotherapy: A novel treatment for antisocial personality disorder. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 75(1). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20210023

8. Sng, A. A., & Janca, A. (2015). Mindfulness for personality disorders. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 29(1), 70–76. https://doi.org/10.1097/yco.0000000000000213