The neuropsychology of conduct disorder

TLDR

The article reviews evidence that brain dysfunction correlates with conduct disorder and argues that neuropsychological variables warrant further study as possible causal factors, presenting a developmental perspective on how such problems might contribute risk. It reviews evidence from neuropsychological tests linking brain dysfunction to conduct disorder. Studies consistently find deficits in verbal and executive functions among antisocial samples, link neuropsychological measures to poor outcomes such as early onset, stability, hyperactivity, and aggressiveness, and show that these measures predict antisocial behavior variance independently of control variables.

Abstract

Abstract This article reviews evidence from neuropsychological tests that brain dysfunction is a correlate of conduct disorder. Most studies report consistent findings of differential neuropsychological deficits for antisocial samples in verbal and “executive” functions. Neuropsychological measures are related to some of the best indicators of poor outcome for children with conduct symptoms, such as early onset, stability across time, hyperactive symptoms, and aggressiveness. Neuropsychological tests statistically predict variance in antisocial behavior independently of appropriate control variables. This article argues that neuropsychological variables warrant further study as possible causal factors for conduct disorder and presents one developmental perspective on how neuropsychological problems might contribute risk for conduct disorder.