Co-occurrence of conduct disorder and its adult outcomes with depressive and anxiety disorders: a review

Abstract

Child and adult general population studies of psychiatric disorder were systematically reviewed for data on the co-occurrence of conduct disorder and its adult outcomes with depressive and anxiety disorders. For both sexes, both depressive and anxiety disorders co-occurred with conduct disorder (and its adult outcomes) far more than expected by chance in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Most women with conduct disorder and an antisocial adult outcome also developed a depressive or anxiety disorder by early adulthood. For both sexes, increasing severity of antisocial behavior was associated with an increasing risk of an emotional disorder. Age and sex affected the rates of co-occurrence. Possible reasons for this co-occurrence and implications for classification and the nature of conduct disorder are discussed.