RESIDENTIAL BEHAVIOR-THERAPY FOR CHILDREN WITH CONDUCT DISORDERS

Children with conduct disorders are often referred to residential trea tment centers (RTCs). RTCs shorten the length of treatment and thus fe el they need to reconceptualize the purpose and process of treatment. Two intervention strategies have been found to affect conduct disorder in outpatient settings: parent training programs that are based on op erant learning principles and cognitive-behavioral programs that focus on the relation between cognition and behavior. These strategies shou ld not be transferred to the RTC but adapted to the characteristics of residentially treated conduct disordered children and their parents. These methods should be used together to integrate and strengthen the various learning processes that residential treatment can foster. An o utline is given of a comprehensive and integrated residential treatmen t program based on behavioral methods that have been proven to affect conduct disorder.