Environmental Risk Factors of Conduct Disorder: An Overview of Meta-Analyses

Maryam  Salmanian; Amir-Hassan  Bordbari; Nazanin  Mousavi; Shima  Tamannaeifar; Mohammad Hasan  Golzar; Melika  Amiri; Saeed  Kargar-Soleimanabad; Aghil  Mollaei; Seyyed Muhammad Mahdi  Mahdavinoor

doi:10.18502/ijps.v20i4.19691

Maryam Salmanian Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Amir-Hassan Bordbari Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Nazanin Mousavi Department of Social Science, Faculty of Psychology, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran.
Shima Tamannaeifar Department of Clinical Psychology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Hasan Golzar Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran.
Melika Amiri Department of Psychology, Tehran Medical Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Saeed Kargar-Soleimanabad Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Aghil Mollaei Student Research Committee, Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Seyyed Muhammad Mahdi Mahdavinoor Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijps.v20i4.19691

Keywords: Conduct Disorder; Epidemiology; Meta-Analysis; Review; Risk Factors

Abstract

Objective: Conduct disorder is one of the most common disorders of childhood and adolescence. This disorder imposes high costs on the individual, family and community. Understanding the risk factors associated with conduct disorder can provide a comprehensive picture of the disorder. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the risk factors related with conduct disorder.

Method: We included meta-analyses that reported one or more risk factors of conduct disorder. We searched PubMed and Scopus until July 19, 2025. One author assessed the quality of the included studies using the ROBIS, and two authors extracted relevant data independently.

Results: We found 12 articles that met the inclusion criteria, from which data pertaining to 17 meta-analyses were extracted. The risk factors identified by the meta-analyses were as follows: severe psychiatric disorders in parents, postnatal exposure to second-hand smoke, atopic dermatitis, being children of alcoholics, prenatal alcohol exposure, maternal smoking during pregnancy, maternal alcohol use during pregnancy, overweight/obesity, maternal perinatal depression, preconception overweight, and preconception obesity.

Conclusion: Drawing on 17 meta-analyses, this study provides a comprehensive synthesis of the risk factors associated with conduct disorder. The findings can inform policymakers and healthcare professionals to develop targeted interventions, such as public health campaigns and support programs for at-risk families, to mitigate these risks. Furthermore, this study highlights the gaps in the existing literature, including the reliance on older studies and methodological limitations, paving the way for future research to address these shortcomings and strengthen the evidence base.