Family problems associated with conduct disorder perceived by patients, families and professionals

Sajad Sajadi; Ghoncheh Raheb; Masoumeh Maarefvand; Khadijeh Abolmaali Alhosseini

doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_110_20

Family problems associated with conduct disorder perceived by patients, families and professionals

J Educ Health Promot. 2020 Jul 28:9:184. doi: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_110_20. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Sajad Sajadi¹, Ghoncheh Raheb¹, Masoumeh Maarefvand¹, Khadijeh Abolmaali Alhosseini²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Social Work, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
² Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Social Science, Roudehen Branch of Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Conduct disorder is among the most serious and complex complications in school-aged children. Considering severe problems in the families of children with conduct disorder, this article aimed to investigate such problems in this group.

Subjects and methods: This qualitative research was conducted on 23 participants in Tehran, Iran. The study participants were selected by purposive sampling technique. Interviewees consisted of children with conduct disorder (8-12 years old), their parents, teachers, and relevant experts. This study is a qualitative research which is a content analysis. The research tools included a checklist of questions approved by experts. The content analysis method was used with the help of MAXQDA software to analyze the obtained data.

Results: The findings comprised the studied families' issues in five categories. These classes included the parents' marital problems, helplessness, and inability of the family to improve conditions; inappropriate discipline approaches; the family's lack of interest in the treatment; and the family members' mental harms.

Conclusions: It is necessary to provide appropriate facilities and health-care centers for the families to reduce the burden of their problems. In addition, a specialist and experienced work team consisting of at least a child psychiatrist, a child psychologist, and a social worker is necessary to serving these families.

Keywords: Children; conduct disorder; family problems; social work.