Androgens affect brain structure and function. Female mice placed in utero between two males are more aggressive than other females, ostensibly because of greater exposure in utero to male hormones. But most boys and most men are not violent. Unfortunately, mental illness and neurological impairment in boys and men are more likely to be manifested in aggressive behaviors. So many boys who are aggressive but have potentially treatable disorders are dismissed as simply conduct disordered or incarcerated rather than diagnosed and treated properly.
Conduct disorder is often a lazy diagnosis.
Educators and therapists must learn to recognize the fact that almost every serious psychiatric disorder of childhood can manifest itself by aggressive behavior. Disturbed children are rarely articulate about their psychological pain and have only a small repertoire of behaviors with which to show hurt. One of the most common causes of repeated aggressive behaviors in children is the paranoid misperception of being endangered or disrespected. Educators are in excellent positions to recognize when children are headed for trouble. For example, when children of normal intelligence have trouble concentrating, fail to do their work, and get into hassles with peers and teachers, they are telling you that they are having difficulty coping with some sorts of stressors.