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Conduct Problems

Conduct problems have an underlying commonality: The child or adolescent has little care or concern for others. The behaviors are characterized by a continual pattern of violating the rights of others or is viewed as atypical by society for their age group. When diagnosing conduct problems in childhood, the diagnosis given is “Oppositional Defiant Disorder” and it is characterized by a persistent pattern of anger, irritability, arguing, defiance, or vindictiveness toward parents and other authority figures.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

What’s the difference between a stubborn and highly emotional child and a child who has a behavioral disorder? As discussed, it is not unusual for children to be stubborn, not listen, to talk back, or ‘push-back’ with authority figures such as parents, teachers, or other adults. However, if these behaviors persist and occur across environments (family, peers, school, and community) and interfere with that child’s functioning, this may be a sign of ODD. The key is that for this type of diagnoses, it is repeated behavior in which the child defies authority figures across environments.

There is no clear origin for this type of behavioral disorder, but certain vulnerabilities in a child’s environment, or their temperament, can result in behavior associated with ODD to become pronounced. Theoretical frameworks such as behavioral theory would suggest that a child or an adolescent’s environment is supporting or reinforcing the behavior. An example of this would be an adolescent who is consistently rude or inappropriate with a teacher, and consequently receives attention in the form of being called-out in the class by the teacher regarding the behavior. This type of negative attention may reinforce the teen’s behavior because behaviorists believe that any type of response to a behavior will maintain that behavior (whether the behavior is good behavior or bad behavior).

Risk Factors and Functional Consequences

No single factor alone causes ODD. According to the DSM-5, temperament is a risk factor because if children or adolescents have poor impulse control, respond poorly to frustration, or are emotionally reactive, they may see the world as a more hostile place where they always need to keep their guard up. Seeing the world from this perspective can have negative functional consequences as well. The DSM-5-TR includes such consequences as frequent conflicts with those who are closest and most influential to the child such as parents, peers, and teachers. When these behaviors become chronic, they can have a very negative impact on a child or an adolescent’s adjustment in key developmental domains such as social, academic, and for adolescents, employment.

Conduct Disorder

Conduct Disorder is a serious behavioral disorder that often has its roots in Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Most diagnosed with this disorder are older children or adolescents and have often presented at an earlier age with ODD. When an older child/adolescent is diagnosed with this disorder the domains in his/her life have been negatively and repeatedly impacted by the behaviors consistent with Conduct Disorder. These behaviors are pronounced and involve major violations of expected norms and behaviors for the individual’s developmental period. The behaviors of ODD are typically less severe than those of conduct disorder and do not include aggression toward people or animals, destruction of property, or a pattern of theft or deceit.

Risk Factors and Functional Consequences

According to the DSM-5-TR this is a disorder that has temperamental roots involving being under-controlled as an infant and lower than average IQ. The functional consequences are severe as behaviors associated with Conduct Disorder are often behaviors that result in contact with police and the juvenile justice system. These behaviors, and the resultant consequences place older children and adolescents on a developmental trajectory that becomes non-normative and can lead to life-long consequences. For example, a 14-year-old involved in the juvenile justice system may find himself in out-of-home placement, away from his family, community and school and instead in a specialized school or treatment facility.

Be sure to review this lesson’s resources carefully. You are expected to apply the information from these resources when you prepare your assignments.

Reference

American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., Text Revision). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

Instructions

Write an “ignorance paper” about either Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder. To do this, you will want to compare peer-reviewed scholarly research.

· Evaluate the current theories for the disorder that you have selected.

· Evaluate the current classification and progression of this behavior and make note of gaps in the information provided.

· What information is lacking in the research?

· What do the articles say about future research to evaluate?

Your goal is to evaluate the current literature concerning your disorder, and then determine what is not known about the disorder you choose.

Prove your points through your research and findings.

Length: 5-7 pages, not including title and reference pages

References: Include a minimum of five scholarly resources.

Your “ignorance paper” should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards.

• What are the current theories explaining the causes of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)?,

• How is ODD currently classified, and how does it progress?,

• What gaps or limitations exist in the current research about ODD?,

• What information is lacking regarding this disorder?,

• What future research directions are suggested in the literature?