Severe Conduct Disorders (SCD)

Differential Diagnosis: TND vs. TC

It is crucial to distinguish between challenging behavior and structured conduct disorder.

Negative Defiant Disorder (NDD) is characterized by a recurrent pattern of anger, irritability and defiant attitude towards authority figures.

The student disputes rules, refuses to comply with requests, and is often spiteful.

However, although his behavior is hostile and disruptive, it does not usually involve serious physical aggression or violations of the fundamental rights of others.

On the other hand, Conduct Disorder (CD), formerly known as dissocial, represents a step up in severity.

Here social and legal red lines are crossed: physical aggression to people or animals, deliberate destruction of property, theft or fraud.

While the student with TND seeks verbal conflict and power struggles, the student with CT shows a pattern of behavior that undermines basic safety and coexistence, requiring much more intensive and often coordinated intervention with outside mental health services.

The Coercive Cycle and the Neutrality Technique

The interaction between teacher and student with behavioral problems often falls into what is called the "coercive cycle".

It works like an escalation: the teacher gives an order, the student ignores it or responds poorly, the teacher raises his voice or threatens, and the student explodes by yelling louder or breaking something.

Finally, the teacher gives in out of exhaustion or expels the student, who learns that aggression is an effective tool for avoiding tasks or gaining control.

To break this cycle, the teacher must apply emotional neutrality. This consists of acting as a "wall": not showing anger, offense or upset at the student's provocation.

If the student insults, the teacher does not enter the emotional racket, but applies the pre-established consequence with a monotonous and boring tone of voice.

By eliminating the adult's emotional reaction, the reinforcement the student gets from the conflict ("seeing the teacher lose his temper")