ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the use of dialectical behavior therapy with adolescents who have been diagnosed with conduct disorder, and/or are involved with the legal system in some manner. This includes adolescents referred on an outpatient basis due to behavior problems, as well as adolescents in residential juvenile detention settings. Life-threatening and quality-of-life-interfering behaviors are adapted to include any behaviors that are threatening and harmful to others, in addition to the adolescent. The adolescent would then be reinforced for seeking out coaching from the counselor before he or she engages in disruptive and problematic behaviors at school. Skills coaching between sessions for adolescents who struggle with behavioral problems will look different based on clinicians setting. The Child Behavior Checklist assessment is really popular, and can be used for children and adolescents. Many adolescents who have legal difficulties struggle with mental illness and emotion dysregulation.
