Behavioral Disorders: Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Behavioral disorders can be described as a set of behaviors that cause negative emotional symptoms when left untreated.

Many of these disorders are detectable during childhood, and, if caught early can be treated effectively with behavioral interventions. Occasionally, medication is necessary, in addition to behavioral strategies.

Are Behavioral and Emotional Disorders the Same?

There is frequently an overlap in behavioral and emotional disorders, but certain characteristics are specifically indicative of behavioral disorders.

These disorders predominately relate to social and communication dynamics and adaptive functioning that shape the symptom profile outlines in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V). (1)

Major Causes of Behavioral Disorders

The data are mixed when determining the etiology of behavioral disorders. However, there is definitive evidence that alcoholism is a common teratogen responsible for cognitive disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other behavioral disorders. (2)

Genetic factors can also play a role in promoting or impeding mental health development during growth. There is evidence to suggest that children with parents diagnosed with schizophrenia have a substantially higher predisposition to this disorder when compared to children who have no family history of the disorder. (3)(4)

Treating Behavioral Disorders

Behavioral disorders are treated with routine psychotherapy by a licensed mental health clinician.

Occasionally, symptoms can be severe to the point where psychotropic medications are dispensed by a medical doctor as a necessary intervention to alleviate symptoms.

Generally, there is no cure for behavioral disorders. However, symptoms are often managed with optimistic and positive outcomes that may not have been achieved without intervention. It is important to have your child assessed if you suspect they could have a behavioral disorder.

Evidence-based treatment approaches, while using protective factors such as consistent and loving parenting skills, are the key to overcoming challenges associated with these disorders.

While self-help strategies are certainly encouraged, it is advisable to involve a licensed professional to guide the progress of the patient. For children, reinforcement schedules are very effective in shaping more advantageous behaviors and promoting an overall sense of well-being.

Diagnosing Behavioral Disorders

Behavioral disorders are diagnosed by a carefully selected list of psychological tests as well as observations and reports of past behavioral patterns. The examiner must determine the appropriate testing needed by reviewing the subject’s cognitive, emotional, social, and behavioral functioning.

Testing is frequently used to determine appropriate treatment interventions, clarify the diagnosis, and monitor baseline progression. Testing can be divided into three main categories:

1. Intellectual assessment

Intellectual testing typically measures cognitive abilities with a set of subtests that correlate with IQ scores. (5) Examples of these tests include:

The test results can aid in determining a subject’s overall cognitive profile, intellectual deficits, or even superior intellectual performance.

2. Personality tests

Measures of personality include tests that measure emotional, social, and behavioral themes. Frequently, the tests of choice are:

The construction of the test may be seen as largely unstructured, and the results are driven by correlations of categorized characteristics.

3. Clinical assessments

Clinical assessments evaluate dysfunctional behavior and the severity of organic anomalies, such as brain damage. The following assessments are commonly used in determining if an aberrant behavioral pattern exists:

The Beck assessments are a great tool for achieving a quick and concise evaluation of mood disorders in order to formulate treatment plans.

Differences Between Personality and Behavioral Disorders

Personality and behavioral disorders have many differences. Personality disorders are generally pervasive with a consistent pattern of dysfunctional behavior that is routinely intolerant of change.

Personality disorders include:

1. Paranoid personality disorder

A paranoid personality disorder is described as a marked distrust in others and a preoccupation with the suspiciousness of other’s motives. Those affected frequently tend to carry grudges against others.

2. Schizoid personality disorder

A schizoid personality disorder is characterized by a significant detachment from others in a social setting. The affected individual prefers solitary activities and may be described as emotionally cold or aloof.

3. Antisocial personality disorder

An antisocial personality disorder is characterized by engaging in criminal behavior with a blatant disregard for the rights of others. Affected individuals are also known to lack empathy and have a bolstered ego.

4. Borderline personality disorder

Borderline personality disorder involves significant difficulty in maintaining healthy interpersonal connections. People with this disorder frequently describe feeling damaged and exhibit difficulty controlling angry outbursts.

5. Histrionic personality disorder

A histrionic personality disorder is characterized by a yearning to be the center of attention and considering relationships to have a deeper quality than what actually exists.

6. Narcissistic personality disorder

A narcissistic personality disorder is a condition wherein individuals thrive on a need for admiration and lack empathy towards others. They tend to feel a sense of entitlement and manifest arrogance and a haughty demeanor.

7. Avoidant personality disorder

An avoidant personality disorder is commonly known for feelings of oversensitivity and an intense fear of rejection. Affected individuals may avoid novel activities for fear of being ridiculed.

8. Dependent personality disorder

A dependent personality disorder is characterized by a need to be validated by others. People with this disorder have a fear of separation and feel helpless when alone. They also lean on others heavily for advice and decision making.

9. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

An obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is characterized by a need for perfectionism in performance. Those affected are generally described as inflexible and thrive on regimens and order.

Behavioral disorders include:

1. Intellectual disability

Intellectual disability is characterized by significant cognitive deficits in intellectual functioning determined through cognitive testing. The deficits are found to impair functioning across multiple adaptive settings. 

2. Communication disorder

A communication disorder is characterized by abnormalities in speech and speech patterns that are infrequent at the age of the child.

3. Autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by deficits in social reciprocity and restrictive patterns in behaviors and interests.

4. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder exhibits a marked inability to pay attention and easy distractibility. Affected individuals are frequently fidgety.

5. Tics disorder

Tics disorder is characterized in the DSM as sudden, rapid, non-rhythmic motor movement or vocalization. (6)

How Common Is Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?

Studies suggest that across cultural boundaries, ADHD affects about 5% of children (7) and 2.5% of adults. (8) It is typically more prevalent in males than in females. (7)

Risk Factors for Behavioral Disorders

Risk factors for behavioral disorders include genetic predisposition and exposure during the prenatal period of development.

Adverse social factors such as poverty, abuse, child-onset trauma, and medical illness that promote maladaptive qualities can also exacerbate the risk of exposure to behavioral disorders.

Final Word

Generally, there is no cure for behavioral disorders. However, symptoms are often managed with optimistic and positive outcomes that may not have been achieved without intervention. It is important to have your child assessed if you suspect they could have a behavioral disorder.

Evidence-based treatment approaches, while using protective factors such as consistent and loving parenting skills, are the key to overcoming challenges associated with these disorders.