Disruptive, Impulse-Control, & Conduct Disorders in South Korean Children & Adolescents

Though disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders (DICCD) represent significant public health challenges in Korea, diagnosis-specific epidemiological data remain limited. This study investigated DICCD's prevalence, risk factors, and psychiatric comorbidities as distinct diagnostic entities in a nationally representative sample of Korean children and adolescents.

Data from the National Mental Health Survey of Korea-Child & Adolescent 2022 (6,275 participants aged 6-17 years) were analyzed. Diagnoses were made using the Korean version of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Computerized Version, based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Sociodemographic and parental characteristics, lifestyle variables, and psychiatric comorbidities were assessed. Multivariable logistic regression analyses identified risk factors and comorbidity patterns.

Prevalence rates were 2.76% for DICCD, 2.52% for oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and 0.61% for conduct disorder (CD). ODD and CD shared risk factors-adolescent age (15-17 years), parental anxiety, and child sleep problems-but also exhibited distinct risk factor profiles. ODD was associated with parental depression, maternal employment, and excessive screen use, and CD with male sex and rural residence. Comorbidity patterns also differed. ODD was associated with mood disorders. CD exhibited elevated risks for substance use disorders and suicidal behavior.

This first nationally representative study demonstrated distinct prevalence rates and risk factors for DICCD, ODD, and CD in Korean children and adolescents. Disorder-specific comorbidity patterns require tailored prevention and treatment approaches. The findings underscore the clinical importance of maintaining diagnostic distinctions and implementing comprehensive psychiatric screening protocols for high-risk adolescents.