ABSTRACT
Conduct problems constitute a third to a half of all clinic referrals (Kazdin, 1995; Farrington, 1995; Patterson et al., 1992). One of the most common referrals in child and family psychology is a boy in middle childhood who presents with conduct problems, specific learning difficulties and related family and school problems. Conduct problems are the single most costly disorder of childhood and adolescence for three reasons. First, they are remarkably unresponsive to treatment. Positive outcome rates for routine treatments range from 20 to 40 per cent. Second, about 60 per cent of children with conduct problems have a poor prognosis. A summary of some of the adult outcomes for children with conduct disorder is presented in Table 10.1. From this table it is apparent that children with conduct disorder turn to adult criminality and develop antisocial personality disorders, alcohol-related problems and a variety of psychological difficulties. They also have more problems with health, educational attainment, occupational adjustment, marital stability and social integration. The third reason for the high cost of conduct problems is the fact that they are intergenerationally transmitted. Adults with a history of conduct disorder rear children with a particularly high prevalence of conduct difficulties.
