Social behaviour disorders

Social behaviour disorders are a group of mental health disorders. They usually begin in childhood but can sometimes continue into adulthood. They may affect your:

• social skills — you may find it hard to interact with others in a positive way
• behaviour (Opens in new tab) — you may act out, take risks or break rules
• relationships — you may get into trouble with family (Opens in new tab), caregivers or teachers
• surroundings — you may struggle to behave appropriately in some places, such as at school or at home

These disorders are sometimes known as antisocial behaviour.

Recognising and treating social behaviour disorders early is important — it can prevent more serious issues later in life.

Different types of social behaviour disorders can affect people in different ways. Some common types are:

• oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
• intermittent explosive disorder (IED)
• conduct disorder (CD)
• pyromania
• kleptomania

The symptoms of social behaviour disorders depend on the type of disorder.

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)

Oppositional defiant disorder means having angry and defiant (stubborn) behaviour for at least 6 months. The main symptoms include:

• often feeling angry and losing your temper
• arguing with parents, caregivers, teachers or other adults
• refusing to follow rules on purpose
• trying to annoy or upset others on purpose
• pushing limits 
• blaming others for your problems or mistakes

Symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder usually start in the preschool (Opens in new tab) years. They can become more noticeable in early teenage years.

Intermittent explosive disorder (IED)

Intermittent explosive disorder means having sudden and strong bursts of anger that are out of proportion to the situation. The main symptoms include:

• aggressive verbal or physical outbursts
• constantly feeling irritable or angry
• acting aggressively without thinking

Symptoms of intermittent explosive disorder usually show up in late childhood or early teenage years. Intermittent explosive disorder can also continue or start in early adulthood.

Conduct disorder (CD)

Conduct disorder involves a pattern of negative behaviour that harms others and breaks rules. The main symptoms include:

• aggressive or violent behaviour
• destroying or breaking things
• lying or stealing
• breaking serious rules
• excessive risk-taking 

Symptoms usually begin in late childhood or early teenage years. 

Pyromania

Pyromania is a rare social behaviour disorder where you have a strong urge to set fires and are fascinated by fire. The main symptoms include:

• setting fires for enjoyment 
• feeling tense or excited before starting a fire
• intense interest in fire and fire-related objects
• feeling pleasure or relief after a fire is set

Pyromania can start in early teenage years and continue into adulthood.

Kleptomania

Kleptomania means having a strong and uncontrollable urge to steal things. The main symptoms include feeling:

• a repeated urge to steal items you don't need for personal use or financial gain
• tense before stealing
• relief or pleasure during the theft
• guilt or shame after the theft

Kleptomania can start in childhood, early teenage years or adulthood.

Antisocial behaviour can be caused by many different factors. Some examples include the following:

• Genetics — you are more likely to develop a social behaviour disorder if a close family member has a mental health issue.
• Temperament— some people naturally have stronger emotional reactions. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can also make antisocial behaviour more intense and harder to manage.
• Development problems — conditions such as autism spectrum disorder can make it harder for children to control their behaviour.
• Intellectual disabilities — people with intellectual disabilities may find it harder to understand and follow rules.
• Mental health issues — having depression or anxiety make social behaviour disorders more intense.
• Social factors — some people learn antisocial behaviours through reinforcement or social influence. 
• Tough living conditions — children growing up in difficult living conditions are more likely to develop social behaviour disorders.

A tough living condition may include:

• growing up in a home with financial worries or marital problems
• exposure to drugs and alcohol and violence
• dealing with neglect or abuse
• inconsistent parenting or moving between caregivers (Opens in new tab) a lot

If you think a child is being abused (Opens in new tab), consider reporting it to a child protection authority.

See your doctor if you are concerned that you or your child may have a social behaviour disorder.

It’s important to seek professional help for a check-up and support if the behaviour:

• causes problems in your daily life
• is affecting your ability to function socially
• is affecting your ability to study or function at work

If you don’t get the help you need from your doctor, you can ask for a referral to another service. This might include a psychologist or other mental health professional.

Read more about the Australian mental health system.

Diagnosis of social behaviour disorders often involves a few steps. It may include working with:

• doctors, psychologists or psychiatrists
• social workers or teachers
• family members or caregivers

To diagnose social behaviour disorders in children, the steps may include:

• Talking to people — your doctor will talk with your child, caregivers and sometimes teachers. This is to learn more about your child's behaviour and feelings.
• Watching your child — your doctor may observe how your child behaves at home or at school.
• Medical history check — your doctor will look at your child's medical
   and family history.
• Assessments — your doctor may refer your child to a specialist to assess their learning skills and behaviour.

A specialist will check for specific disorders before making a diagnosis. This may include:

• an eye test
• a hearing test
• a motor skills test 
• a cognitive assessment, such as a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)

A combination of methods is often used in treating social behaviour disorders. Treatment can help you manage you or your child’s behaviour and improve your ability to function.

Here are some common ways to treat social behaviour disorders:
Therapy and counselling

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) — helps you to understand and challenge negative thoughts and behaviours.
• Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) — teaches you skills to manage stress and emotions.
• Family therapy — helps family members to improve communication and support.
• Parenting programs — can help families develop confidence in parenting their child.
• Self-esteem building — can encourage children to identify their talents, such as sports, which then helps build their self-esteem.

Medicines

Medicines may help treat the factors that make antisocial behaviour more intense. Examples include medicines used for:

• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• depression
• anxiety

Sometimes, these medicines help reduce mood swings or aggressive behaviour.

Living with a social behaviour disorder can be challenging, both for the person affected and their family or caregivers. 

For people living with a social behaviour disorder

Living with a social behaviour disorder takes ongoing effort and support. With the right strategies and resources, it’s possible to manage symptoms. You can:

• follow the plan your doctor recommends, which may include therapy or taking medicine
• learn techniques such as mindfulness, distress tolerance skills and doing physical activity to help you handle strong emotions
• surround yourself with supportive people

For families and caregivers

If you are caring for or living with someone with a social behaviour disorder, you can:

• set clear and consistent rules at home to help them understand what’s expected
• praise and reward good behaviour to motivate your child
• be patient and try not to get frustrated when the person acts out
• spend quality time together to strengthen your relationship
• remember to look after your own health and wellbeing too — get some support so you can have time away from the person you are caring for from time to time

Read more about supporting someone with a mental illness.

There are resources available where you can learn more about social behaviour disorders.  

Visit the Health Directory Resource (Opens in new tab) website for information on:

• concerns about development (Opens in new tab)
• concerns about behaviour in children (Opens in new tab)
• anxiety disorders in children and young people (Opens in new tab)

Visit the Black Dog Institute (Opens in new tab) for fact sheets (Opens in new tab) on topics such as anxiety (Opens in new tab) and depression (Opens in new tab).

If you are having difficulty with your mental health, here are some organisations that can help:

• Lifeline (Opens in new tab) — call 13 11 14, or text 0477 13 11 14 or chat online
• Beyond Blue (Opens in new tab) — call 1300 22 4636
• Kids Helpline (Opens in new tab) — for young people up to 25 years of age — call 1800 55 1800

Languages other than English

The Health Translations (Opens in new tab) page provides information in multiple languages, including on:

• disruptive disorders in children (Opens in new tab)
• anxiety (Opens in new tab) 
• understanding mental health (Opens in new tab) 
• getting mental health help  (Opens in new tab)

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

There is mental health support available for you if you are an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait islander person.

13Yarn (Opens in new tab) is a free phone service run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can call them on 13 YARN (13 92 76).

Black Dog Institute (Opens in new tab) has social and emotional wellbeing resources (Opens in new tab).