Assessment of conduct problems using an integrated, process-oriented approach

This chapter presents a practical guide on how to assess conduct
problems using an integrated process-oriented approach. We will present
a model that builds on current evidence-based knowledge of child conduct
problems and the family and school settings in which these problems
flourish or fail to flourish, as well as our clinical experience with
working with these children. Traditionally, terms such as “delinquent,”
“antisocial,” “aggressive,” “oppositional,” and/or “impulsive” have been
used in research and clinical settings to capture the core characteristics
of disruptive behavior disorders. Here, however, we will use the term conduct
problems (CPs) to refer to the broad range of behavioral difficulties
that are characteristic of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct
Disorder (CD); non-compliance, defiance, aggression, and antisocial
behaviors, such as lying, truancy, and theft.