Conduct Disorder in Adolescents

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Chapter 1: Introduction

Purpose of the Study

The primary purpose for this study centers on understanding the relationship that exists between ADHD, conduct problems, and adolescent psychopathy. If we can unearth new data illuminating the connection between the three, many of the problems associated with the disorder could conceivably be ameliorated; thus, society could benefit greatly. Abramowitz et al. (2004), assessed individuals who were adults. One could argue that obtained ADHD symptom scores reflected the fact that the results came via a self-report inventory, whereas, information used to score conduct problem symptoms was collected using a semi-structured interview format. Specifically, individuals might have remembered more information or have been more attentive, thorough, and (perhaps) more creative in their response to direct questioning than to paper/pencil questionnaire.

Research Question

The majority of adolescents assessed for adolescent psychopathy are residents at state training schools; however, many of the behaviors associated with psychopathy are seen in students assigned to their district's alternative educational setting.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Conduct Disorder is a key issue for most communities since youth/adolescents with CD cause significant mental and physical damage to others. In addition, they face a great probability of becoming jailed, injured, depressed, illicit drug use, and early death. After turning age 18, CD may become antisocial personality disorder and/or psychopathy. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder- Fourth Edition-/Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR; APA, 2000), CD fits into one of four main groups: (a) violent behavior that instigates bodily injury to other people or animal (or threatens to do so), (b) non-violent behavior that leads to serious property damage and/or severe cost to aforesaid property, (c) dishonesty toward others and the stealing from others and (d) severe infringement of the law.

Personality factors correlated with CD have been studied extensively. For example, a positive link exist connecting Extraversion and Psychoticism with CD (Jang, Livesley, & Vernon, 1999; Tranah, Harnett, & Yule, 1998); moreover, an individual exhibiting high Negative Emotionality with a concomitant low Constraint significantly predicts antisocial behavior (Krueger, Schmutte, Caspi, & Moffitt, 1994). Likewise, Maziade, Caron, Cote, Boutin, and Thivierge (1990) showed the impact of personality variables on externalizing disorders (i.e., ADHD and CD). They found that someone with a Negative Emotionality-type temperament (this refers to a predisposition toward sadness and apprehension with a penchant to respond to nerve-racking condition with disagreeable feelings) were more likely to exhibit externalizing disorders than would someone with an Impulsive-type temperament (which was correlated with developmental delays).

Chapter 3: Methodology

The Research Process 

The qualitative research approach is used. Qualitative research is more subjective than quantitative research. They are very different methods of collecting information, which is used both primary and secondary.

Secondary research was conducted by a variety of sources, including libraries and the Internet. Some libraries have been visited for data collection in the value of books and magazines. The first step of any research is to identify a subject area of research and design a clear objective within it to do further study on that particular research. Secondly, after getting secondary data from different sources on a similar subject has ...