Summary Of Conduct Problems And Antisocial Behavior

Conduct problem(s) and antisocial behavior(s) are terms used to describe a wide range of age-inappropriate actions and attitudes of a child that violate family expectations, societal norms, and the personal or property rights of others (Kimonis, Frick, & McMahon, 2014). These children experience problems in controlling their emotions and behavior. Like the children in our examples, youths with conduct problems display a variety of disruptive and rule-violating behaviors, ranging from annoying but relatively minor behaviors such as whining, swearing, and temper tantrums to more serious forms of antisocial behavior such as vandalism, theft, and assault. Given such diversity, we need to consider many types, pathways, causes, and outcomes of conduct

Youths with severe conduct problems are often seriously disturbed and need help. At the same time, the callousness of their deeds often evokes outrage, concern for innocent victims, and a desire to severely punish or confine them. This creates an inconsistency between society’s concern for children who experience early adversity or abuse and the tendency to criminalize and demonize youths who display violent behaviors. As they grow older, these youths walk a fine line between pleas from the mental health and juvenile justice systems for understanding and rehabilitation and demands from the general public and the criminal justice system to punish the offenders and protect the victims (Steinberg, 2009). Most people have opinions about the nature of youth violence and what can be done about it.

Context, Costs, and Perspectives

To understand antisocial behavior in young people and its impact on society, we next consider its expression in the context of normal development, its societal costs, and the different ways in which such behavior has been viewed by the juvenile justice, mental health, and public health systems.

Did you ever defy authority, lie, spread rumors, fight, skip school, run away, break curfew, destroy property, steal, text while driving, or drive under the influence of alcohol? If so, welcome to the club—many young people admit to these antisocial acts. In 2011, about 71% of high school students in the United States had consumed alcohol, 45% smoked cigarettes, 40% used marijuana, 33% texted or e-mailed while driving, and 8% had driven after drinking alcohol (CDC, 2012b). In fact, very few adolescents (about 6%) refrain from antisocial behavior entirely, and those who do describe themselves as excessively conventional, anxious, and socially inhibited—not well adjusted at all during adolescence (Moffitt et al.,