evere. In mild cases, misbehavior is relatively minor with little to no harm to others; such misbehavior would include lying, truancy, staying out after dark without permission, etc. When the harm to others reaches an intermediate level between mild and severe, the severity level is said to be moderate. Misbehavior categorized as "moderate" includes stealing without confronting a victim and vandalism.
At the severe level of conduct disorder, misbehavior is causing considerable harm to others and the scope of problems is in excess of those required for diagnosis. Children/adolescents with severe cases of conduct disorder exhibit such behaviors as forced sex,physical cruelty, use of a weapon, stealing while confronting a victim, and breaking and entering.
Associated features of conduct disorder include little empathy or concern for the feelings, wishes or well-being of others, inappropriate feelings of guilt or remorse, and callousness. There are tendencies to blame others, recklessness, temper outbursts, early sexual activity, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and poor academic achievement.
In the United States, conduct disorders describe a substantial segment of the adolescent population. Indeed, according to Lewinsohn, Hopps, Roberts, Seeley and Andrews (1993), it is estimated that approximately three to ten percent of American children and adolescents suffer from conduct disorders with the condition being four to five times more prevalent in males than in females.
Robbins (1991) states that the disorder, as reported by parents, follows a pattern of early development in which there is argument, stubbornness, tantrums, oppositional behaviors which eventually lead to fire setting, stealing, truancy and, eventually, vandalism and substance abuse. Further, Kazdin, Seigel and Bass (1992) report that in general the prognosis is poor with conduct disorders commonly leading to criminal behavior, antisocial personality,...