Family Therapy for Adolescents with Conduct Disorder in Secondary Schools in Rivers State

This study assesses the effectiveness of family systems therapy in improving behavioural outcomes among adolescents with conduct disorder in Rivers State, South South Nigeria. Conduct disorder, characterised by persistent patterns of aggression, violation of rules, and disregard for others' rights, is among the most socially disruptive disorders of adolescence and frequently co-occurs with family dysfunction, inconsistent discipline, and poor parent-child communication. This research employed a quasi-experimental design involving 66 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years with school-confirmed conduct disorder diagnoses, drawn from six secondary schools in Port Harcourt and Bonny. Participants and their families received 15 sessions of Structural Family Therapy delivered by trained family therapists. Conduct disorder severity was assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Disruptive Behaviour Disorder Rating Scale. School discipline incident records supplemented outcome measurement. Results indicate significant reductions in conduct disorder symptoms from baseline to post-intervention and maintenance of gains at follow-up. Improvements in parental communication quality and family cohesion scores were significantly correlated with adolescent behavioural improvement. Families who completed all 15 sessions demonstrated greater gains than partial completers. The study recommends that Rivers State secondary school counselling services develop family engagement protocols that facilitate family therapy access for adolescents with conduct disorder. Keywords: family therapy, conduct disorder, adolescents, Rivers State, structural family therapy.