Antisocial behaviour and conduct disorders in children and young people: recognition and management

Deciding what type of help to have

Your health and social care professionals should talk to you about the different types of treatment available. They should take account of your preferences and look at:

Your health and social care professionals should explain the treatments to you, including what they consist of and how long they take, and whether they will affect any other treatment you may be having.

Psychological therapies

If you have a conduct disorder you may be offered a psychological therapy. You meet with a psychologist, psychiatrist or a therapist to talk about feelings and thoughts and how these affect behaviour and wellbeing.

Some psychological therapies involve your parents, carers and teachers. These are described in the section for parents and carers. Other psychological therapies are just for children and young people aged from 9 to 14. You should have them in a group with other children or young people of a similar age and with problems that are similar to yours. The therapist should help you to understand your thoughts, feelings and behaviour, and the connections between them. This helps you to learn how to get along better with other people. You should usually meet with your group once a week for about 10 to 18 weeks. Each meeting should last for about 2 hours.

If you are aged between 11 and 17 you may be offered a type of psychological therapy that involves looking at different aspects of your life and talking with a wider circle of people, including your family, people at your school or college and other people who are important in your life. This type of treatment should be provided by a specially trained professional called a case manager. Your case manager should visit you 3 or 4 times a week for 3 to 5 months.

Medication

Children and young people should not usually be offered medication for a conduct disorder, but if at any time a young person finds it especially difficult to control their anger, they may be offered medication called risperidone. Risperidone should only be offered by a healthcare professional with experience in treating children and young people with a conduct disorder.

If you are offered risperidone, the healthcare professional should talk to you and your parents or carers about the possible benefits and side effects before you start taking it. They should measure your weight, height, waist and hips, check your pulse and blood pressure and take a sample of blood to check your physical health. The healthcare professional should see you regularly while you are taking risperidone, especially when you first start taking it. They should check whether you are having any problems or side effects from taking it. They should also continue to check your physical health. The healthcare professional should check whether the risperidone is working after you have been taking it for 3 or 4 weeks. They should tell you to stop after 6 weeks if it is not helping you.

If you have ADHD, as well as a conduct disorder, you should be offered medication called methylphenidate or atomoxetine. See Other NICE guidance for details of NICE's advice on ADHD.