Fourth Edition, September 2011

What are Behaviour Disorders?
When a behaviour problem becomes severe and chronic, it may become a behaviour disorder. This is a serious 
mental health problem, and that diagnosis should only be made by someone who has a good deal of experience 
in assessing young people. Behaviour disorders aff ect about 3.3% of Canadian young people (Waddell, Shep-
herd, 2002) so the chances are high that you will have at least one student with a behaviour disor-
der in your classroom.
There are two main types of disruptive behaviour disorders — Oppositional Defi ant 
Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD). A child who has a lot of temper tantrums, 
or is disobedient or argues with adults or peers on a regular basis, may have Op-
positional Defi ant Disorder (ODD). More serious problems like frequent physical 
aggression, stealing or bullying may be a sign of Conduct Disorder (CD).
Children with Conduct Disorder often have trouble under-
standing how other people think. They may have trouble 
talking to others. They may think that other people are 
being mean to them or wish them harm when that isn’t 
the case at all. Their language skills may be impaired, 
which means they have trouble using words and may act 
out instead. They may not know how to make friends with 
other children, and may feel sad, frustrated, and angry as a 
result.
Children with this condition are aggressive all the time in a way that causes problems for them and their 
family. They may threaten or actually harm people or animals, or they may damage or destroy property. 
They may steal or shoplift, or even be involved in breaking and entering. They often lie or try to ‘con’ other 
people. They frequently skip school.
Signs a child may be struggling with a behaviour problem
Most all children and young people misbehave at some time when they are growing up. Some 
children, however, have more serious behaviour problems that may require additional help. The 
signs to look for include:

The child continues to behave badly for several months or longer, is repeatedly disobedi-
ent, talks back, or is physically aggressive.

The behaviour is out of the ordinary, and seriously breaks the rules accepted in their family 
and community.

The behaviour is much more than childish mischief, or adolescent rebelliousness.

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Making a Diff erence: An Educators’ Guide to Child and Youth Mental Health Problems
www.cymhin.ca
C 4
Behaviour Problems