CHILD ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT
CHILD ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT
Student Name
University
CHFD307
Professor
Date
ABSTRACT
Children may have many problem behaviors especially when they get to the
adolescent stage. Some of these problems are the use of alcohol, skipping school,
involvement in fights, stealing from people and shoplifting from stores (AAMFT, n.d.).
Some adolescents are found involved in risky sexual behaviors at a young age. The
repercussions of these behaviors affect the adolescent, the family and the society as a whole.
In this paper we will discuss the importance of diagnosing these types of behaviors early so
that the caregivers of the adolescent can help them and guide them to make better choices.
These kids are at a high risker of developing behaviors that are distressing and disruptive
socially (Brooks 19997). Having multiple sexual partners at a young age can end up
emotionally and mentally scaring the person later in life. Stealing and the use of weapons
lead to problems as they mature into adults; they could end up being put behind bars. Child
therapists report that the main reason they receive clients in their practices is due to problem
behaviors (Lahey et al, 2000). Types of behavior problems include oppositional defiant
disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD) (Children’s Mental Health, n.d.). Oppositional
defiant disorder is where you find children being openly hostile, easily irritable and being
uncooperative. These kids are often rude to their peers and do bad things to them just to
anger them. Their lives are highly affected negatively due to the way they think and behave.
Conduct disorder is more severe as it now becomes a psychiatrist disorder. These children are