Key Takeaways
- Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a developmental condition that affects how people see the world and interact with others. Autism frequently co-occurs with conduct disorders, starting in infancy and continuing throughout life.
- Conduct disorder is a common mental health condition characterized by antisocial behavior.
- Although autism and conduct disorders are both developmental and behavioral conditions, they differ in characteristics, causes, and the challenges they present.
If you have a child on the autism spectrum, you’ve likely witnessed a public meltdown. People who have an autism meltdown aren’t being difficult or acting out but rather reacting to an overwhelming experience.
It’s also not uncommon for children with autism to exhibit disruptive behaviors — especially those who face challenges with communication, sensory processing, and regulating their emotions.
Autism is a developmental condition, while conduct disorder is a mental health condition that affects children and teens. People with conduct disorder exhibit symptoms like antisocial behavior, aggression, destruction, deceitfulness, and violation of rules. In some cases, autism and conduct disorder can co-occur.
Recognizing the differences between autism and conduct behaviors is important in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and ensuring your child receives the right support.
What’s the link between autism and disruptive behavior?
The link between autism and disruptive behavior is complex. While not every child with autism exhibits disruptive behaviors, those who do aren’t trying to be intentionally disruptive. In most cases, their behavior stems from limited verbal ability, sensory processing issues, or other challenges associated with autism.
In some cases, people with autism also have a coexisting behavior disorder. Research shows that approximately 1 in 4 children on the autism spectrum also have a disruptive behavior disorder like oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) or conduct disorder (CD).
What causes autism and conduct disorder?
Researchers have linked many genetic, biological, and environmental factors to both autism and conduct disorder, with some overlapping risk factors between the two.
Risk factors associated with conduct disorders include:
- Being male
- Maternal smoking during pregnancy
- Childhood poverty
- Abuse or neglect
- Parental substance use, criminal behavior, or a parent who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, ADHD, depression, or bipolar disorder
- A parent with conduct disorder
- Negative social interactions, like being bullied
- Exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke
With autism, factors such as air pollution and metal exposure, maternal health, genetics, and drug use may play a role in the development of this condition.
What are the symptoms of conduct disorder and autism?
Children with conduct disorder may display a pattern of aggressive behavior and cause harm to others, including animals.
To diagnose a conduct disorder, at least three symptoms should have been present in the last 12 months, with at least one present in the past six months. These symptoms include:
- Aggression toward people or animals
- Destruction of property
- Theft or deceitfulness
- Serious violation of rules
To meet diagnostic criteria for autism, a child or teen must have persistent deficits in each of the three areas of social communication and interaction, plus at least two of four restricted, repetitive behaviors, like rigidly following routines and highly restricted interests with abnormal focus.
Can autism be misdiagnosed as a conduct disorder?
It’s possible for autism to be misdiagnosed as a conduct disorder, and vice versa. There’s no definitive test for diagnosing autism. And because people with autism exhibit a wide range of symptoms that can overlap with other conditions, getting an accurate diagnosis can often be challenging.
Some research indicates up to 48% of people with autism also have disruptive, impulse control, and conduct disorders.
How to manage conduct disorder in people with autism
People who have both a conduct disorder and autism require different levels of support. Treatment might involve a combination of behavioral therapy, social skills training, and, in some cases, medication. The goal of treatment is to improve both family dynamics and your child’s behavior through learning problem solving, improved communication, and stress management.
Therapy options can include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: This form of therapy helps children and teens with conduct disorder learn better ways to manage anger, regulate their emotions, and solve problems. Research shows that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can also help people with autism deal with anxiety and cope with social situations.
- Social skills training: Children and teens with autism can learn the skills needed to navigate social interactions through social skills training. This treatment can also be effective for kids with conduct disorder to build communication and conflict-resolution skills.
- Family therapy: This approach includes parent management training (PMT), which teaches parents techniques to promote good behavior. Behavior family therapy (BFT) builds on PMT and includes ways to reduce family stress.
- Applied behavior analysis: This form of therapy is used to help children with autism learn new skills and behaviors. It can also be effective in treating conduct disorder because it focuses on developing strategies that promote positive behavior. As with all therapies, applied behavior analysis (ABA) might not be a fit for everyone. Some critics of ABA believe it tries to make kids with autism fit neurotypical standards and that it’s too focused on eliminating behaviors rather than building skills.
Working with a therapist who specializes in autism and conduct disorder can help your child get a correct diagnosis as well as a treatment plan that meets their unique needs.
Find care with Rula
Living with a child or teen who has both autism and conduct disorder can challenge the entire family. Your child may face difficulty with academics or expressing themselves. As a parent, you might feel frustrated and even blame yourself.
But know that your support is essential to help your child thrive with autism, conduct disorder, or both. Getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step in helping your child learn how to manage their symptoms, improve behaviors, and create a more positive future.
With Rula, you can match with a therapist trained in both autism and conduct disorder who accepts your insurance. With just a few clicks, you can explore our extensive network of therapists, and begin treatment as soon as tomorrow.
About the author
Linda Childers
Linda is an award-winning medical writer with experience writing for major media outlets, health companies, hospitals, and both consumer and trade print and digital outlets. Her articles have appeared in the Washington Post, USA Today, WebMD, AARP, Brain+Life, HealthyWomen.org, The Rheumatologist, California Health Report, Everyday Health, HealthCentral, and many other media outlets. While juggling the responsibilities of being part of the “sandwich generation” and caring for both her toddler son and terminally ill mother, a nurse friend encouraged her to seek therapy, which helped her to learn coping strategies and manage her depression. Linda hopes her work will help to destigmatize mental health conditions and encourage others to get the help they need.
Rula's editorial process
Rula's editorial team is on a mission to make science-backed mental health insights accessible and practical for every person seeking to better understand or improve mental wellness. Rula’s clinical leadership team and other expert providers contribute to all published content, offering guidance on themes and insights based on their firsthand experience in the field. Every piece of content is thoroughly reviewed by a clinician before publishing.
