Psychiatric comorbidity more common among adolescent females with CD/ODD than among males

Abstract

Clinicians and researchers have been increasingly concerned on conduct problems among adolescent females. Yet, most research on the issue has been conducted among males. The aim of this study was to characterize conduct disorder (CD) among adolescent females in comparison with males. Family background, symptoms and severity of CD, and psychiatric comorbidity were assessed among Finnish 12-18-year-old females (n=40) with conduct disorder/oppositional defiant disorder (CD/ODD) compared with males (n=37). Data were collected via structured interviews with the subjects and interviews with parents. Lifetime and current Axis I diagnoses (DSM-IV) were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview (SCID-I) interview. No gender differences were found in the number of CD symptoms or aggressive symptoms. Family adversities, comorbid major depression, anxiety disorders and substance use disorders as well as suicidality were more common, while reading disorder was less common among girls compared with boys. The varied problems and comorbid disorders among females with CD/ODD are important to recognize.