prognosis
Last reviewed 10/2020
There is a poor long term prognosis for children with conduct disorders and their conditions usually run a long and protracted course. However, despite the poor outlook based on the experience of the majority of cases, some children with conduct disorders do not go on to develop antisocial traits in adulthood.
An important prognostic factor is whether the behaviour is socialised - ie in groups - or non-socialised. The latter is a poorer indicator, thought to represent the lack of need of peer encouragement for poor conduct.