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The high costs of aggression: public expenditures resulting from conduct disorder
E Michael Foster1, Damon E Jones
1Methodology Center, Pennsylvania State University, 116 Henderson Bldg, University Park, PA 16802-6500, USA. foster@pop.psu.edu
Objectives:
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.
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