Parenting and demographic factors as predictors of adolescent conduct disorder: efficacy of multi-modal intervention

Previous studies associated conduct disorder among adolescents with great societal damage. It has been shown by researchers to have multifactorial causation which includes numerous facets of family unit. This study examined mother and fathers’ parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, permissive and demographic factors as predictors of conduct disorder (rule violation, aggressive behaviour, hostility and deceitfulness) and the effectiveness of cognitive restructuring and behavioural rehearsal among adolescents in Lagos State Correctional Centre. Quasi-experimental design was utilized for the study. The sample consists of ninety (90) purposively selected adolescents with evidence of conduct disorder in the correctional centre. The hypotheses raised were tested using descriptive and inferential statistics. Fathers’ authoritarian style significantly contributed to adolescents’ aggressive conduct while fathers’ authoritative and permissive parenting styles did not have significant influence on any of the subscales of conduct disorder (rule violation, aggressive behaviour, hostility and deceitfulness) among the adolescents in the correctional centre. Mothers’ permissive parenting style significantly contributed 12.9% to conduct disorder among the participants. Specifically mothers’ permissive parenting style predicted deceitfulness and rule violation (subscales of conduct disorder) among the participants. Mothers’ authoritative and authoritarian and parenting styles did not have significant influence on any of the subscales of conduct disorder. Socioeconomic status was related to only aggressive conduct but was not related to rule violation, deceitfulness and hostility. Both cognitive restructuring and behavioural rehearsal were found to be effective intervention strategies for significant reduction in rule violation, aggressive behaviour, hostility and deceitfulness (conduct disorder) among the adolescents in the correctional centre. The results have implications for parenting factors associated with childrearing and behavioural outcomes. Cognitive restructuring and behavioural rehearsal intervention strategies are recommended for practitioners for reduction in conduct disorder behaviour among adolescents.Keywords: Parenting styles, intervention strategies, conduct disorder, adolescents