Psychopathology: Conduct Disorder - Essay Example

Family Therapy as Treatment for Conduct Disorder Evidence-based interventions for treating psychopathological disorders involve a thorough evaluation of evidence from published studies and researches that show interventions that maximize the chance of benefitting. In this case, conduct disorder in children is the main focus. Conduct disorder refers to a group of emotional and behavioral problems in Children. Those with this problem are viewed as bullies by their peers; this disorder makes children: physically cruel, are confrontational and may harass sexually among others (Kazdin, 2005). This paper focuses on family therapy and family-based interventions as ways to treat conduct disorder. This therapy can also be referred to as psychotherapeutic endeavor. It is a method that aims at improving the family as a unit through changing interactions between family members (Hughes, Laura and Shane, 2008). This theory builds on the general system theory that assumes that a person is a part of an interpersonal system and that psychological well-being depends on the organization of the system. This method of treatment has assumptions that psychological disorders result from non-functioning family relations and that treatment of these disorders should be joint for the whole family (Banaschewski, 2005). This treatment builds on the principle that the problem is not individual, that the family is to decide when the therapy has achieved that which it was intended to and that the whole is greater than its components. How Family Therapy Works In using this method of treatment, assumptions are that regardless of the origin of the psychological condition, involving the family members will benefit the child more. If the family is willing to cooperate, for the method to succeed, a safe home environment must be provided. Adequate housing and resources that the basic needs should be met (Hughes, Laura and Shane, 2008). Parents are on-boarded into this treatment through parent education, counseling, family therapy and parent management training programs. This treatment looks at the disease as a family disease. Family system models work given that families are organized and interact. Maladaptive behaviors are reinforced or otherwise through families. This method examines the interaction between family members and puts it into the context of therapy. At this stage, structural problems, which would increase the chance of recurrence of this disorder within the family, are pointed out an example in a family setting affected by the situation whereby parents are not in good terms with each other and show aggression towards the children. The child picks up the aggressive behavior from this particular encounter (Liabo and Joanna, 2007). The treatment will allow for a wholesome treatment that takes parents into consideration here, the therapist have to handle the parent’s relationship. Parent management training, as a part of family therapy, has some common characteristics: Treatment is first carried out with the parent who is then used an agent to implement the procedures decided on at home. These procedures involve altering of interactions with the children encouraging pro-social as opposed to antisocial behavior (Hughes, Laura and Shane, 2008). The therapist interaction with the child, if any, is very minimal. The approach used above is best placed to deal with these disorders. Given that the family is the basic unit of the society, if each child is molded right from their formation then the society becomes an aggregate of well-formed person. Review Studies Mark is age 11 and is in grade 6, he has been in various systems since he was three years. He lives with his mother and three siblings and was left with his mother at seven years. He is aggressive and cannot keep up with school work. However, his mother was given recommendations and did not follow them. In this case, Family therapy fails to take effect because Marks parents fail to follow the laid down steps towards his recovery from conduct disorder. Robert, age 13, grade 8 is a student with social emotional issues. He has been coming to school with the same clothes and evidently not having had a shower, he is high on some substance. He hides out to get high during the day in the washrooms. He has missed about ninety percent of classes. The school sues Roberts Parents for negligence but this does not solve the problem. The family seeks for psychological assistance and is put on Family therapy. The therapy works well with Robert as it gives him his pride and personality back. Robert is totally cured and resumes studies. Marcia, age 14, grade 9. She has just started the grade and in her first semester she attends a school in another District. She has a history of moving a lot and has vague ideas about her past. She does little work and spends most of her time with her head hidden. She does not go to the cafeteria and prefers to sit alone in the library. On interviewing her parents, It comes out strongly that the mother and father are always fighting. They hardly agree, the father had neglected his responsibilities and the mother, at one point, had left Marcia and her three siblings under the care of their then sick auntie. Marcia’s teacher facilitates for psychological consultancy sessions for the parents. There are treated and after two years, the family is completely functional. A six-year-old boy visits a clinic with the parent. The physician observes that the boy is spinning in circles and irrespective of the number of times the parents intervenes and pleads with him to be seated, the boy won’t just sit. The boy is yet to be admitted to kindergarten as his immunizations are yet to be updated. He has proved to be difficult in the hospitals every time he is taken for immunization and disrupts the process. The parent hopes that with a new physician, the boy might change. He has had a history of aggression both in school and at home. The boy’s treatment is done using the family-based intervention that yields results. For this case, family therapies are the best-known remedies. It proves to be practical and not expensive. This intervention is carried out in four phases. These four phases include engagement, motivation, behavioral change, and generalization. The study shows that when doing family therapy it is important to reframe; to enhance positive attitudes. A young girl is brought to the office of a doctor by her guardian. The Guardian explains that this girl has been suspended from school for assaulting the teacher and needs to be evaluated. The girls has been suspended for having weapons in her possession at school such as knives and even smokes, she steals money from the other children lockers. The Guardian describes her as troublesome at home (Banaschewski, 2005). The girls’ father has been charged with theft and assault and the mother often leaves her and the brother unsupervised over the night. The Psychiatrist recommends use of Family therapy and asks the guardian to have them accompany the girl to the clinic. The prescribed treatment cycles that should be undertaken by the parents in order to solve their problem as a family. It becomes complicated because the father cannot cooperate. Family therapy success is usually dependent on cooperation of the entire family. Failure in one part means failure for the whole system. Conclusion Kazdin (2013) explores psychosocial treatments for disorders in children. He discusses parent management training. He points out that the parent does not solely determine the direction of influence in the parent-child relationship. The child also passes some influence to the parent therefore influences are bilateral. He insists the purpose of involving the parent as in correcting the child with an antisocial behavior as meant to change the interaction between the parent and the child making it pro-social and not antisocial. The parenting behaviors adopted involved include; establishment of rules that the child may follow at home, positively reinforcing correct behavior portrayed, administration of mild punishment if the rules established are not followed and negotiation of compromises. References Banaschewski, T. (2005). Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder & conduct disorder: attentional orienting, motor preparation, and response control. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. Hughes, T., L., Laura C, and Shane, R. J. (2008). Identifying, assessing, and treating conduct disorder at school. New York, N.Y.: Springer. Kazdin, A. E. (2005). Parent management training treatment for oppositional, aggressive, and antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. New York: Oxford University Press. Kazdin, A. E. (2013). Everyday parenting toolkit: the Kazdin method for easy, step-by-step, lasting change for you and your child. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Liabø, K, and Joanna, R. (2007). Conduct disorder and offending behaviour in young people findings from research. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Top of Form Bottom of Form   Read More