Abnormal Psychology

Childhood Disorders 669

Figure 14.5g45

Changes neural activity

Treatments Targeting

Psychological Factors

CBT: Modeling, reinforcement

programs, social problem solving

Treatments Targeting

Social Factors

Group therapy

Contingency management

Parent management training

Multisystem therapy

Changes thoughts,

feelings, and behaviors

Decreases family conflict and

family members’ critical

behavior

Increases positive attention

and support for making

positive changes

Changes social interactions

Treatments Targeting

Neurological Factors

Medication: Methylphenidate

or atomoxetine

14.5 • Feedback Loops in Treatment: Attention-Defi cit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Key Concepts and Facts About Disorders of Disruptive Behavior and Attention

• Conduct disorder is characterized by a violation of the basic
  rights of others or of societal norms that are appropriate to the
  individual’s age. Conduct disorder involves four types of behav-
  ior: aggression to people and animals, destruction of property,
  deceitfulness or theft, and serious violation of rules. Symptoms
  may be mild, moderate, or severe, and the disorder may begin
  in childhood or adolescence. Conduct disorder is commonly
  comorbid with attention-defi cit/hyperactivity disorder and sub-
  stance use or abuse.


• Childhood-onset conduct disorder with callous and unemo-
  tional traits has the highest heritability among the various
  types of conduct disorder; this variant is also associated with
  more severe symptoms. Individuals with childhood-onset

conduct disorder without callous and unemotional traits are

less aggressive, although they are likely to be aggressive im-

pulsively, in response to (mis)perceived threats. Adolescent-

onset conduct disorder tends to involve mild symptoms that

are usually transient.

• Oppositional defi ant disorder is characterized by a behavioral
  pattern of disobedience, hostility, defi ance, and negativity to-
  ward people in authority. The behaviors are usually not violent
  nor do they cause severe harm, and they often occur only in cer-
  tain contexts. Some people with oppositional defi ant disorder
  go on to develop conduct disorder; if an individual’s behaviors
  meet the criteria for both oppositional defi ant disorder and con-
  duct disorder, only conduct disorder is diagnosed.
  continued on next page