Conduct disorder: new directions in promoting effective parenting and strengthening parent-adolescent relationships

Although it is always preferable to prevent childhood mental health and behavioural problems, it is not always possible to do so early in their developmental trajectory. Adolescence offers another window of opportunity to intervene and reduce risk or prevent the development of late onset conditions. In this paper, we focus on adolescent Conduct Disorder, noting the special challenges of this developmental period and implications for interventions. We briefly discuss the growing evidence of the importance of parent and family targeted interventions.

Forty-eight adolescents with severe Conduct Disorder and their caregivers completed questionnaires at the beginning and end of a parent group program (Connect Parent Group). The program is guided by attachment principles and focuses on skill development in the domains of parental attunement, empathy and effective dyadic affect regulation. These skills are the building blocks of secure attachment and important components of effective parenting.

Caregivers' reports revealed significant improvements in their perceived parenting competence and satisfaction; reduced adolescent aggressive behaviour, internalizing and externalizing problems; and reduced levels of avoidance in the caregiver-adolescent relationship.

These findings provide further support for the importance of parent and family focused interventions in the treatment of Conduct Disorder in both children and adolescents.