NCJ Number
58790
Date Published
1978
Length
32 pages
Annotation
AN OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH ON CONDUCT DISORDER IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IS PRESENTED, AND THE USE OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION TECHNIQUES IN SCHOOLS TO REDUCE STUDENT DISRUPTIONS IS DISCUSSED.
Abstract
RESEARCH HAS REVEALED FOUR BASIC DIMENSIONS OF DEVIANCE IN YOUTHS: CONDUCT DISORDER, PERSONALITY DISORDER, INADEQUACY-IMMATURITY, AND SOCIALIZED DELINQUENCY. CONDUCT DISORDER, SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS UNSOCIALIZED-AGGRESSIVE OR UNSOCIALIZED-PSYCHOPATHIC DISORDER, CONSISTS OF BEHAVIORS THAT ARE CLEARLY AT VARIANCE WITH SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS AND NEARLY ALWAYS AVERSIVE TO MOST ADULTS AND YOUTHS. PERSONS WITH CONDUCT DISORDERS PRESENT A PERVASIVE AND SERIOUS PROBLEM TO SOCIETY AND APPEAR TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MUCH OF THE CRIME IN SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY ASSAULT AND PROPERTY DESTRUCTION. THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF STUDIES INTO THE CORRELATES OF CONDUCT DISORDERS IN INSTITUTIONS AND CLASSROOMS, COGNITIVE AND PERCEPTUAL FUNCTIONING IN CONDUCT-DISORDERED PERSONS, RESPONSIVENESS TO SOCIAL CUES AND REWARDS BY SUCH PERSONS, PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS, AND THE EFFECTS OF EXPERIENCES WITHIN THE FAMILY. OTHER STUDIES HAVE INDICATED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION TECHNIQUES IN REDUCING DEVIANT BEHAVIOR AND INCREASING ACQUISITION OF PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND ACADEMIC SKILLS IN BOTH ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNGER CHILDREN, INCLUDING CONDUCT-DISORDERED YOUTHS. THESE TECHNIQUES BASICALLY INVOLVE PRECISE ASSESSMENT OF THE BEHAVIOR TO BE CHANGED, STRUCTURING OF THE CLASSROOM OR OTHER SETTING TO MINIMIZE DEVIANCE, AND THE CONTINGENT USE OF REWARDS BY TEACHERS, PARENTS, OR OTHERS. THE TECHNIQUES HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING LESS RESTRICTIVE THAN MANY OTHER APPROACHES TO PROBLEM BEHAVIOR. FOLLOWUP RESEARCH INDICATES THAT CONDUCT DISORDER IS A PERSISTENT PHENOMENON. THUS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO INTERVENE IN THE LIVES OF CONDUCT-DISORDERED CHILDREN AT LEAST BY THE BEGINNING OF ADOLESCENCE TO AVOID THE CONSEQUENCES OF DELINQUENCY, ADULT CRIMINALITY, AND OTHER MANIFESTATIONS OF SOCIAL DYSFUNCITON. VIEWING SCHOOL CRIME AS PRIMARILY A MANIFESTATION OF CONDUCT DISORDER PERMITS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ITS ORIGIN AND NATURE, AND FACILITATES ITS TREATMENT IN THE SCHOOL CONTEXT THROUGH APPLICATION OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION TECHNIQUES. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)