Avoidance of responsibility in conduct disordered adolescents

The association between conduct disorder (CD) and the construct of 'avoidan ce of responsibility' was investigated in a sample of junior and senior hig h school-aged adolescents. Each adolescent's CD symptomatology was determin ed using a self-report checklist keyed to DSM-IV symptoms. In addition, par ticipants completed an avoidance of responsibility measure which assessed s trategies adolescents utilize to avoid responsibility for their inappropria te behaviors. Participants also completed the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of C ontrol Scale. Based on analysis of the avoidance of responsibility measure the Powell Avoidance of Responsibility Scale (PARS) was constructed. The re sults indicated that adolescents identified as CD endorsed significantly mo re avoidance of responsibility strategies and significantly more external l ocus of control responses compared to non-CD participants. The PARS account ed for 32% of the variance in the number of CD symptoms. Implications for t he treatment and prevention of CD are discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.