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VOL. 8, ISSUE 2 (2026)
Disruptive behavior disorders, juvenile delinquency, and disability-mediated offending: A multidisciplinary examination with clinical illustrations
Authors
Kok Hwee Chia
Abstract
With the integration of Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBD), Juvenile
Delinquency (JD), and Disability-Mediated Offending (DMO) into one socio-legal
cognition model, they represent three related, yet conceptually distinct,
frameworks used to interpret problematic behaviors among children and
adolescents. Although these socio-legal constructs frequently overlap in
professional practice, they arise from different disciplinary traditions
including psychiatry, criminology, developmental psychology, disability
studies, and jurisprudence. This conceptual paper provides an analysis of these
three frameworks and illustrates their distinctions through clinical and
forensic case examples. The discussion highlights how developmental
trajectories, environmental risk factors, and neurodevelopmental impairments
can contribute to youth misconduct (juvenile offences). Understanding these
differences is very crucial for professionals working in educational therapy,
psychology, pediatrics, social services, and the justice system, as
misclassification may lead either to inappropriate criminalization of
disability-related behaviors or inadequate recognition of genuine delinquent
intent. This paper concludes its emphasis on the importance of
multidisciplinary collaboration in diagnostic assessment and early intervention
in order to promote more humane and effective responses to youth behavioral
problems.
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Pages:6-9
How to cite this article:
Kok Hwee Chia "Disruptive behavior disorders, juvenile delinquency, and disability-mediated offending: A multidisciplinary examination with clinical illustrations". International Journal of Law, Policy and Social Review, Vol 8, Issue 2, 2026, Pages 6-9
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