Questions about Conduct Disorder. Can you help with my school project?

[Debbie MA]

Hello CD board,

Cheryl has kindly allowed me to post the following.

I am a long-time member of the CD board (I even remember Mama Bear!) and I have recently gone way out of my 49-year-old comfort zone and signed up for a master's level psychology class (gulp).

The professor has assigned a project to be done in small groups. We are to identify a “community problem” and, after reviewing research on the subject and talking to community members, determine possible causes of the problem. My group has selected Conduct Disorder as a community problem to research.

Our small group of three has interviewed school principals and school counselors to get their opinions on the causes of CD. I feel that these views need to be balanced by the opinions of parents actually living with CD.

If you have a child who has, or who has ever had, a diagnosis of Conduct Disorder and you would like to help me with this project, please contact me via e-mail at [email protected] or PM me here and answer the questions listed below. Your responses may be shared as part of the assigned paper but no names, even board names, will be shared with the class or with other members of my group.

• If you feel comfortable doing so, please provide the age of diagnosis, sex and race of your child and whether you live in an urban, rural or suburban area.
• What do you think are the “causes” of Conduct Disorder?
• What do you think are the risk factors for CD?
• Are there protective factors?
• How is CD treated and are treatments effective?
• What is important to know about CD?

Thanks,

Debbie

 

[susiestar]

Sending you a PM.

 

[Debbie MA]

Thanks Susie!

 

[Sheila]

Just for clarification, are you referring to the formal diagnosis of "conduct disorder" or are you referring to disorders that are referred to as conduct disorders?

 

[busywend]

Good question, Sheila. I think there are only a few actual diagnosis of Conduct Disorder on the site.

Good luck to you Debbie!! And congrats on taking the step to higher education!

 

[Debbie MA]

Hi Sheila,

That's a good question and something I should discuss with the other two members of my group to make sure we all mean the same thing when we say CD.... But, I'm not sure what other disorders are referred to as conduct disorders... maybe ODD? That is thought to be a precursor, in many cases, to CD, I think. Or do you mean other disorders and illnesses that have implications for behavior and conduct? My youngest son has a Bipolar diagnosis so I know that severe behavior can be an issue there. I also know that these diagnoses are fluid and what one psychiatrist calls CD, another calls BiPolar (BP), so I would be interested in people's opinions of any severe conduct issues but I think actual CD is our focus. LOL. Does that answer you're question?

Thanks,

Debbie

 

[susiestar]

I thought I would BUMP this to make sure people see it!

You also might get other/more answers on the Parents Emeritus and the sub abuse forums - kids are older there, and older kids are more likely to be diagnosis'd with CD.

Susie

 

[Debbie MA]

Thanks Susie. Good idea.

 

[susiestar]

Welcome, Debbie! I am all for anything that can increase awareness of this disorder and the toll it takes on families, and increase knowledge about this disorder. It truly can devastate a family.

 

[Nancy423]

Only wish I had stuff to share with you! Wishing you the best for your project (and GOOD FOR YOU for going back to school!! My mother, sister and I all did later in life)