The high costs of aggression: public expenditures resulting from conduct disorder.
OBJECTIVE
We explored the economic implications of conduct disorder (CD) among adolescents in 4 poor communities in the United States. We examined a range of expenditures related to this disorder across multiple public sectors, including mental health, general health, school, and juvenile justice.


METHODS
We used self- and parental-report data to estimate expenditures during a 7-year period in late adolescence of a sample of youths. We contrasted expenditures for youths with CD and youths with oppositional defiant disorder, elevated symptoms (no CD diagnosis), and all others. Diagnosis was determined with a structured assessment.


RESULTS
Additional public costs per child related to CD exceeded $70000 over a 7-year period.


CONCLUSIONS
Public expenditures on youths with CD are substantially larger than for youths with closely related conditions, reflecting the importance of prevention and early treatment for the disorder.
Foster
E Michael
EM
Methodology Center, Pennsylvania State University, 116 Henderson Bldg, University Park, PA 16802-6500, USA. foster@pop.psu.edu
Jones
Damon E
DE
D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000191:economics; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000191:economics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003416:Criminal Law / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000191:economics*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics; D011204:Poverty Areas; D011634:Public Health / Q000191:economics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012572:School Health Services / Q000191:economics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology