ABSTRACT
Conduct disorder (CD) in children and adolescents has been the subject of a large research effort over the last several decades. More recently, much attention has been paid to determining developmental patterns of the disorder and risk factors for its persistence. Further, several treatments have been developed and evaluated that can minimize the problem during its early stages. However, if it is not effectively treated, it often represents a lifetime of social impairment and distress for the sufferer and his or her social environment. Although treatment remains an important part of comprehensive service delivery, a broader approach is needed. Interventions that take place once a persistent pattern of antisocial behavior has been established are generally expensive to implement and of limited effectiveness. Early intervention and prevention strategies seek to prevent the emergence of CD, and treatments that intervene early in the development of the disorder tend to have more positive outcomes. This chapter reviews progress toward effective prevention and early intervention strategies.
