Should we aspire to screen preschool children for conduct disorder?

• Published in: Archives of Disease in Childhood Vol. 94; no. 10; pp. 812 - 816
• Main Authors: Wilson, P, Minnis, H, Puckering, C, Gillberg, C
• Format: Journal Article Book Review
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 01.10.2009; BMJ Publishing Group; BMJ Publishing Group Ltd; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Adolescents; Biological and medical sciences; Child Health; Child Health Services - organization & administration; Child, Preschool; Conduct disorder; Conduct Disorder - diagnosis; Conduct Disorder - prevention & control; Demographic aspects; Diagnosis; Early Diagnosis; General aspects; Health screening; Humans; Mass Screening - methods; Mass Screening - organization & administration; Medical sciences; Medical screening; Miscellaneous; Preschool Children; Prevention and actions; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Young Children; Human; Preschool age; Pediatrics; Conduct disorder; Medical screening; Social behavior disorder; Child; Public health
• ISSN: 0003-9888; 1468-2044
• DOI: 10.1136/adc.2009.158535

Life-course persistent conduct disorder is a major public health problem with implications for individual health and for society at large. Recent evidence has shown that treatment can be cost-effective, and early symptom detection is improving. We weigh the evidence for and against the introduction of population screening for conduct disorder in early childhood using Wilson and Jungner’s criteria.