Train in Adolescent Studies | Online Course.
- Self-paced course focussing on adolescents | Start anytime.
- 6 modules | 2 core modules of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Adolescent Psychology | You choose 4 elective modules from Counselling Children, Developmental Learning and Behavioural Conditions, Neurodiversity etc.
- Learn more about how teenagers grow and develop during the adolescent period.
- Experienced and expert tutors | 1:1 support and feedback | Written assignments | Practical exercises.
- Suitable for anyone interested in the psychology of adolescents, such as teachers, parents, fosters carers, carers, teaching assistants, coaches and so on.
Modules
Note that each module in the Qualification - Certificate in Adolescent Studies is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately.
What are conduct disorders?
Conduct disorders in children are serious emotional and behaviour disorders. The child may show patterns of violent and disruptive behaviour. They may have problems following rules. Children and teenagers can often have behaviour-related problems at some time during their childhood, but these can be normal stages of development that the child grows out of. However, if the disruptive and violent behaviour becomes more long lasting, goes against norms of behaviour, violates the rights of others and disrupts the life of the family and the child, they may have a conduct disorder.
Research in the United States suggests that 2 – 16% of children have a conduct disorder. It is more common in boys. It usually develops in late childhood into the early teens. The American Psychiatric Associate state that 6 – 16% of boys and 2 – 9% of girls have a conduct disorder. The amount of children with conduct disorder increases as they reach adolescence.
Subtypes of conduct disorder
There are two subtypes of conduct disorder –
Childhood onset – if the childhood onset is left untreated, there is a poorer prognosis for the child. 40% of children who have childhood onset conduct disorder go on to develop an antisocial personality disorder in adulthood.The child may show behaviours such as
- Setting fires
- Breaking things on purpose
- Poor relationships with their peers
- Property damage
- Aggression
Adolescent onset – the adolescent may show their conduct disorder in a slightly different way, as part of a gang behaviour or to meet their survival needs, such as:
- Stealing food
- Truancy
- Shoplifting
- Running away
Adolescent who develop a conduct disorder are usually less psychologically disturbed than those with childhood onset conduct disorders.
Symptoms of conduct disorder
The symptoms will vary depending on the child’s and also whether the conduct disorder is mild, moderate or severe. The symptoms tend to fall into four categories –
- Destructive behaviour – arson, vandalism, destruction of property.
- Aggression – threatening or causing harm to others, bullying, fighting, using weapons, forcing sexual activity, harming animals, being cruel to others.
- Deceitfulness – lying, shoplifting, breaking and entering homes and cars to steal.
- Violating rules – going against the norms and rules of society. Behaving in a way not appropriate for their age. This may include sexual behaviour at a very young age, truancy, running away, playing cruel pranks and so on.
They may also show –
- Temper tantrums
- Low self esteem
- Irritability
- Drugs and alcohol abuse
They often do not understand how their behaviour hurts others and show little guilt or remorse for what they have done.
When reading the list of symptoms above and below, you have to consider that any mental health professional is looking for more than one symptom here. Many children will have isolated incidents of bad behaviour, such as lying or shoplifting or fighting. This does not mean that they have a conduct disorder. But if there is a pattern to their behaviour and it is longstanding, a conduct disorder becomes more likely. A child will not show all of these signs and symptoms but there will be a range of symptoms.
To look at this in a little more detail, the American Psychiatric Association also state that the signs and symptoms of conduct disorder include –
- Lying
- Stealing
Conning other people
Shoplifting
Forgery
- Aggression
Physically cruel to people and animals
Bullying
Intimidation
Threatening
Physical fights
Using a weapon to harm others, such as a knife, brick, bat, gun
Stealing
Forcing sexual activity
- Staying away from home
- Playing truant
- Property destruction
Setting fires
Harming other people’s property
Breaking into other people’s home or car
- The APA state that –
Mild conduct disorder – signs and symptoms sufficient to make a diagnosis, but not much above that. Minor harm to others.
Moderate conduct disorder – number of problems in conduct and behaviour. Harm to others is between mild and severe.
Severe conduct disorder – excess of problems compared to those required to make a diagnosis. Considerable harm to others.
Any Questions?
Our tutors are happy to help, so please do ask.
