| Abstract: | The purpose of this review was to examine the conduct disordered child and his/her family and determine how they differed from the “normal” or nonclinic family. Four areas were examined: child behavior, parent behavior, parent perceptions of child adjustment, and parental adjustment. Clinic-referred conduct disordered children were more deviant and less compliant than nonclinic children. Parents of the conducted disordered children issued more commands; emitted more negative, but not less positive, behavior toward their children; and perceived their children and themselves as less well adjusted than the parents in the nonclinic group. Why certain children are identified as conduct disordered and needing treatment is discussed as are the assessment and treatment implications of the findings. |
