An 11-year-old child diagnosed with conduct disorder is admitted to psychiatric unit for treatment. Which of following behaviors would nurse assess?

Correct Answer: B. Physical aggressiveness, low-stress tolerance disregard for the rights of others

Physical aggressiveness, low-stress tolerance, and a disregard for the rights of others are common behaviors in clients with conduct disorders. Conduct disorder (CD) is classified in the spectrum of disruptive behavior disorders which also includes the diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Exhibits a pattern of behavior that violates the rights of others and disregards social norms.

• Option A: Restlessness, short attention span, and hyperactivity are typical behaviors in a client with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric condition that has long been recognized as affecting children’s ability to function. Individuals suffering from this disorder show patterns of developmentally inappropriate levels of inattentiveness, hyperactivity, or impulsivity.
• Option C: Deterioration in social functioning, excessive anxiety and worry and bizarre behaviors are typical in schizophrenic disorders. Derived from the Greek ‘schizo’ (splitting) and ‘phren’ (mind) with the term first coined by Eugen Bleuler in 1908, schizophrenia is a functional psychotic disorder characterized by the presence of delusional beliefs, hallucinations, and disturbances in thought, perception, and behavior.
• Option D: Sadness, poor appetite, sleeplessness, and loss of interest in activities are behaviors commonly seen in depressive disorders. Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. The common features of all depressive disorders are sadness, emptiness, or irritable mood, accompanied by somatic and cognitive changes that significantly affect the individual’s capacity to function.