Does violence solve anything? Conduct disorder as adaptive behaviour

Many teachers and students report that in recent years violence is becoming more prevalent in schools. This paper examines the adaptive component of behaviours associated with a specific disruptive behavioural disorder: conduct disorder. The influence of biology, evolution, and environment on the development of the disorder is considered, and a critical analysis is presented. Conduct disorder is adaptive in certain contexts, particularly among members of communities in which resources and opportunity for conventional success are limited. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed