Environmental Risk Factors in Oppositional-Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder

Abstract

(from the chapter) Reviews literature on psychosocial environmental risk factors for Conduct Disorder (CD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Directions in which research on risk factors for CD/ODD has been going and future directions that such research might profitably take are illustrated. Emphasis is placed on findings of longitudinal research. An overview of measurement issues related to the identification of environmental risk factors is presented, and general models of environmental risk are discussed. Findings from a reanalysis of data on environmental risk factors for CD/ODD are presented to inform the directions such models might profitably move. The subtyping of CD and the relationship between CD and ODD are discussed, with an emphasis on identifying possible risk factors that might move individuals along particular developmental paths. Environmental risk factors at different levels of analysis are examined, from the family to the neighborhood and to the community or societal level. The main theme arising from this discussion is the future challenge provided in attempting to integrate analyses of antisocial behavior across these domains. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).