Chapter 8 Conduct Problems Bilge Yağmurlu PSYC 430 Developmental Psychopathology

Terms Aggression Violence Bullying Delinquency Intentional acts that inflict harm Violence Extreme form of physical aggression Bullying Imbalance of power Delinquency Legal term

Forms of Aggression and Bullying Physical aggression Verbal aggression Relational aggression: Harming others through purposeful manipulation, hurting others’ friendships Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.

Attention-deficit and disruptive behavior disorders Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Combined subtype Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive subtype Predominantly inattentive subtype Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder NOS Conduct disorder Childhood onset Adolescent onset Unspecified onset Oppositional Defiant Disorder Disruptive Behavior Disorder NOS

Conduct Problems Externalizing behaviors Aggression Oppositional Disruptive/antisocial Figure 8-1 depicts the behaviors viewed as problematic from childhood through adolescence

Oppositional Defiant Disorder Loses temper Argues with adults Actively refuses to comply with adult requests or rules Deliberately annoys others Touchy & easily annoyed Angry & resentful Mean & hurtful Negativistic/angry Hostile/vindictive Defiant/argumentative 4 behaviors for at least 6 months Table 8-2 disorders that characterize ODD

Conduct Disorder Aggression toward people and animals Bullying, fights, weapon, cruelty Destruction of property Fire setting Deceitfulness or theft Breaks into, lies, steals Serious violations of rules Runs away Persistent pattern of behavior that violates the basic rights of others and age-appropriate societal norms 3 or more behaviors for at least 12 months

Conduct Disorder Aggression to people and animals (1) often bullies, threatens, or intimidates others (2) often initiates physical fights (3) has used a weapon that can cause serious physical harm to others (e.g., a bat, brick, broken bottle, knife, gun) (4) has been physically cruel to people (5) has been physically cruel to animals (6) has stolen while confronting a victim (e.g., mugging, purse snatching, extortion, armed robbery) (7) has forced someone into sexual activity (is a rapist) Destruction of property (8) has deliberately engaged in fire setting with the intention of causing serious damage (9) has deliberately destroyed others' property (other than by fire setting) Deceitfulness or theft (10) has broken into someone else’s house, building, or car (11) often lies to obtain goods or favors or to avoid obligations (i.e., “cons” others) (12) has stolen items of nontrivial value without confronting a victim (e.g., shoplifting, but without breaking and entering; forgery) Serious violations of rules (13) often stays out at night despite parental prohibitions, beginning before age 13 years (14) has run away from home overnight at least twice while living in parental or parental surrogate home (or once without returning for a lengthy period) (15) is often truant from school, beginning before age 13 years B. The disturbance in behavior causes clinically significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning.

Conduct Problems ASPD Psychopathy – not a DSM diagnosis Personality disorder A pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others. Characterized by aggressive antisocial behaviors continuing into adulthood Psychopathy – not a DSM diagnosis Deceitful, unremorseful, impulsive, unemotional, glib Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.

Groupings in Externalizing Syndrome Two syndromes Aggressive: destroys things, fights Rule breaking: lies, steals, truant Age of onset (child vs. adolescent) Salient symptom approach Primary behavior problems displayed

Epidemiology Rates range from 1-16% for both ODD and CD ODD is a common precursor of CD ODD does not always result in CD Most kids with CD also meet ODD criteria High comorbidity with ADHD ODD: 35-70% CD: 30-50% Figure 8-4 From Maughan et al 2004-shoes rates of CD and ODD in boys and girls aged 5-16 Average age of onset for ODD is 6; for CD 9

Co-occurrence ODD CD Children with these disorders: 50% will continue to have disorder 25% will remit 25% will develop CD 35-70% will also have ADHD CD Depends on age of onset—younger typically more persistent & aggressive 30-50% will have ADHD Children with these disorders: May be rejected by peers Exhibit neurocognitive impairment Lower school achievement Verbal language deficits Internalizing disorders Anxiety Depression At risk for substance use Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.

Gender Differences Boys diagnosed with conduct disorder more often than girls Girls more likely to engage in relational aggression Purposefully excluding others Shunning someone when angry Telling lies about a person - spreading rumors Threatening the person with the relationship

Aggression and Gender Gender differences are larger after age 2-3 Implications: Parenting: Temperament Parental socialization related to temperament

Aggression and Gender Gender differences are larger after age 2-3. Developing self-concept and gender identity Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.

Social-economic context Higher rates in minority youth and in high crime neighborhoods temperament child-rearing behaviors gender role socialization exposure to violent stimuli Low income, low education, work conditions Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.

Aggression, Social Exclusion and Gender Peer-group expectations are powerful in shaping behaviors. Any deviation from the peer group norms draws negative comments. Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.

Cognitive patterns Executive function Neural desensitization Social information processing

Course Stability over time Childhood onset Adolescent onset Related to persistent problems Less common than adolescent onset More likely to have neurocognitive deficits Adolescent onset Fewer childhood problems Many discontinue behaviors

Executive function key cognitive ability the collection of processes like attention shifting, working memory, planning and inhibitory control, which guides behaviors towards a goal Cognitive component of self regulation Begins in infancy Gradual and steady improvement in the core module (attention) simultaneously gives rise to the development of other cognitive processes in early years. Behavioral competence Emotion regulation, empathy (Hughes et al., 2000) Aggression, EB (Hughes et al., 1998)

Participants (undergrads) who played a violent (relative to a nonviolent) game showed a reduction in the P3 component of the event-related brain potential (ERP) to violent images (indicating physiological desensitization), and this brain response mediated the effect of video game content on subsequent aggressive behavior.

Etiology Other influences: Temperament Family stressors Antisocial families Parental substance use Marital discord Maltreatment Peer relations Hostile attribution bias

Social Information Processing Encode Interpret Formulate social goals Generate problem-solving strategies Evaluate strategies, Select Enact What happened? Did he mean to...? What do I want to happen? What can I do? What will happen then, what will work? Just do it!

Social Information Processing Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.

SIP and aggression Reactive/hostile aggression An angry response to frustration Proactive/instrumental aggression Deliberate behavior controlled by external reinforcers (gain access to objects, space etc.)

Social Information Processing Ambiguous scenario Problem Definition: “What do you think is happening in this story?” Response Selection: “What would you do if you were in this situation and he/she did that to you?” Anticipation of consequences : “What do you think would happen after you did that? 28 28

Social Information Processing and Aggression Different SIP biases for different forms of aggression Reactive/hostile aggression Proactive/instrumental aggression

Social Information Processing Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.

Mechanisms in the cycle of violence Question: What is the process by which antisocial behavior occurs in abused children? Time 1: Mothers interviewed about Child temperament Discipline practices at age 4 Whether child had been harmed by an adult visible bruises, medical attention Time 2: Children’s SIP assessed at age 5 Time 3: Aggression in school environment assessed Teacher ratings, peer ratings, observations

Findings Harmed children biased SIP at age 5  aggression at age 6 temperament did not correlate with aggression and physical abuse Internalizing problems were higher in harmed children than in no-harmed children.

Age, SIP and Aggression SIP skills of rejected-aggressive 6 year-olds were immature, typical of much younger children Changes in cognitive skills (attention, memory span, speed of processing, perspective taking and ToM) With age children start to encode more information

Social Information Processing All steps Influenced by the child’s history Expectations Knowledge of rules Encode Interpret Formulate social goals Generate problem-solving strategies Evaluate strategies, Select Enact

Other Issues Bullying Can begin in preschool Increasing use of internet to bully Males also more likely to be victims Peaks in middle school Typical bully Positive attitude toward violence Impulsive Strong need to dominate Little empathy Physically stronger Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.

Other Issues Typical victim Anxious Insecure Nonaggressive Low self-esteem Having a close friend can ward off bullying or the effects Bullying tied to risk of long-term problems Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.

Etiology-Biological Genetics Likely inherit risk factors Twin studies evidence for moderate genetic influence Likely inherit risk factors Sensitivity to alcohol Temperament Irritability Impulsivity Sensation seeking

Etiology-Biological Neurophysiological Neuropsychological Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) underactive Behavioral Activation System (BAS) overactive OR both systems underactive as child tries to seek sensation Reduced threshold for fight or flight Neuropsychological

Etiology Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.

Etiology Socioeconomics Aggression as learned behavior Family influences Parent-child interactions Patterson’s Coercion Theory Social learning perspective Discipline and monitoring Ineffective Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.