Definition

Behavioral disorder is a pattern of behavior in children that is disruptive and causes problems at home, school and other social situations. Almost everyone exhibits behavioral tendencies like this at some point in their life, but conduct disorder is a much more serious condition.

Causes

The cause of behavioral disorders is not known with certainty, but there are several risk factors, as explained in the Risk Factors section, which can increase a person's risk of experiencing behavioral disorders. These risk factors can come from biological conditions such as pregnancy and birth, psychological conditions such as temperament, learning and intellectual disorders, as well as social conditions such as family life.

Risk Factor

Risk factors for conduct disorder are as follows:

Gender

Boys experience behavioral disorders more often than girls. The cause is not yet known for certain, it could be related to genetics or social experiences.

Pregnancy and birth

The presence of problems during pregnancy, premature birth, and low birth weight can influence several cases of child behavior problems in the future.

Temperament

Children who are difficult to manage, temperamental and aggressive from a young age are at higher risk of experiencing behavioral disorders in the future.

Family life

Behavioral disorders are more likely to occur in troubled families. For example, a child is more likely to experience behavioral disorders if he grows up in a family that has problems with domestic violence, poverty, parents with poor parenting skills, and substance abuse.

Difficulty in learning

Reading and writing problems in children are often associated with behavioral disorders.

Intellectual problems

Children with intellectual problems are twice as likely to experience behavioral disorders.

Brain development 

In children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the part of the brain that regulates attention becomes more passive.

Symptoms

Conduct disorders are a large group of disorders that generally include ADHD/ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and conduct disorder. Other similar disorders are pyromania (inability to control the desire to light a fire) and kleptomania (inability to control the desire to take other people's things).

Behavioral disorders can involve symptoms such as inability to concentrate, hyperactivity or difficulty stopping movement, difficulty controlling impulses, deviant behavior, substance abuse, and criminal activity. However, these symptoms may vary with each disorder. For example, in ADHD/ADHD, the prominent symptom patterns are:

• Inability to concentrate, characterized by difficulty concentrating, forgetting instructions/commands, moving from one job to another without completing any work
• Difficulty controlling impulses (the urge to do something), for example interrupting other people's conversations, doing dangerous things so that they are prone to accidents
• Hyperactivity or difficulty stopping movement, characterized by constant restlessness

Meanwhile, in oppositional defiant disorder, the prominent pattern of symptoms is:

• An atmosphere of feeling angry or annoyed, so that you often lose control of your own feelings, easily feel annoyed, often angry or vengeful
• Argumentative or defiant behavior, often having problems because of arguing with authorities or adults, not wanting to obey requests or rules, annoying other people on purpose, and blaming others for their mistakes
• Envy and revenge

In conduct disorder, the prominent pattern of symptoms is:

• Easily attacks other people or animals (bullying, cornering other people, starting fights, using weapons, being cruel to other people and animals, and committing violence against other people, whether verbal, physical and sexual)
• Damaging objects (igniting a fire on purpose, damaging or destroying objects, buildings or nature)
• Committing fraud or theft (breaking into or stealing other people's objects, manipulating other people)
• Breaking the rules (running away from home, skipping school, going out at night)

Usually, these behavioral disorders can be seen before school. Oppositional defiant disorder usually begins no later than age 12, and occurs at least once a week for at least 6 months. Meanwhile, conduct disorder appears before the age of 16, but can be diagnosed until the age of 18. Adults with a similar condition may be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder.

Diagnosis

Behavioral disorders are complicated to diagnose, and even require in-depth analysis of various factors. Children who show symptoms of conduct disorder, for example, may also have ADHD/ADHD, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and problematic family environments. Diagnosis of behavioral disorders can involve various experts, such as pediatricians, psychologists, and psychiatrists (especially child psychiatrists). The expert can then conduct in-depth interviews with parents, children and educators. Experts may also use behavioral checklists or standard questionnaires to help determine a diagnosis.

This kind of behavior should also be considered as a result of an acute event such as an ill parent or bullying of the child in question. These things can cause sudden changes in a child's behavior, and should be recognized from the start.

Management

Management needs to be carried out as early as possible. Management is most effective when it is appropriate to the specific needs of the child and family. In general, this management involves various aspects of life and is very dependent on the disorder experienced by the child and the underlying factors. Management may include the following:

• Parent education. For example, teaching parents to communicate and manage children
• Family therapy. The whole family works together to improve communication and problem-solving skills
• Cognitive behavioral therapy. This therapy aims to help children regulate their thoughts and behavior
• Social training. Children are taught important social skills, such as how to start a conversation or play with other children
• Angry management. Children are taught to recognize signs of anger and adjustment skills to reduce anger and aggressive behavior. Relaxation techniques and stress management skills may also be taught
• Support for related issues. For example, children with learning problems will get help from professional teachers
• Encouragement and motivation. Many children with conduct disorders experience repeated failures in school and social life. Supporting children to excel in areas they are skilled at (such as sports) can help increase children's self-confidence
• Drugs. These drugs can be given to help children control the urge to do something bad

Complications

Complications of children's behavioral disorders can include receiving sanctions from the school or other authorities, difficulty living a social life, and a tendency to experience other mental disorders such as substance abuse. If behavioral disorders are not treated, they can continue into adulthood and disrupt the lives of themselves and others around them.

Prevention

Prevention of behavioral disorders is difficult because the exact cause is unknown. However, parents can take precautions based on risk factors for behavioral disorders in children, for example by strengthening their relationship with their children. If parents have mental problems such as substance abuse, depression, or ADHD/ADHD, parents should treat these problems themselves first while improving their relationship with their children.

When to See a Doctor?

If your child experiences behavioral problems at school that tend to recur, you may suspect a behavioral disorder in your child. If you suspect this condition, you should take your child to the nearest expert, such as a pediatrician, psychologist or psychiatrist. The sooner this condition is treated, the quicker you and your child can learn to relieve the symptoms of behavioral disorders so that the child can grow like a normal child.

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