A long-term follow-up of conduct disorder adolescents into adulthood

This study focuses on young male and female adults (n=290) who were diagnosed with conduct disorder (CD) during adolescence at the inpatient child and adolescent psychiatric unit in Lund, Sweden. Their adulthood is described using seven outcome variables: in custody, crime, illicit drug use, mental health, teenage parenthood, transference income and educational attainment. Together, the seven outcome variables represent a wide perspective of individual life and known risks for both genders. The variables are compared, scaled and described in an outcome that identifies successful outcome. Although this was a severe clinical inpatient group of adolescents, a relatively large number-about a third of the males and close to half of the females-exhibit a successful outcome by their early twenties. This study highlighted the merits use gender-sensitive outcome variables. The take-home message from a societal perspective is that many improvements are needed, a message that has been voiced in several Swedish commissions.