Johnny's Disorder Case Summary

Conduct Disorder
Johnny, age 10, is admitted to the psychiatric unit for evaluation. Following is Johnny’s case history.
Erin gave birth to Johnny. She is an unmarried 16-year-old girl who chose to keep Johnny with her and tried to raise him herself. In beginning she lived with her parents and continued her high school after Johnny’s birth. She was very irresponsible, had no source of income, contributed little to her needs, and used to smoke marijuana with her friends. Erin's parents took Johnny's care. When Johnny was 3 years old, his grandparents refused to accept their daughter’s irresponsible behaviour, and she and Johnny were forced to leave the home.

Later on, Erin found a job as a waitress, leaving Johnny with babysitters, neighbours, or whomever she could find who was willing to take care of him in while she was at work. She was eventually sent to the Department of Human Services by her landlady, who found out that Erin was leaving Johnny in the apartment alone while he was asleep. Johnny was placed in foster care and lived in different homes for the next several years.
Johnny suffered from nightmares. At age 8, he was sent to the principal’s office for giving a classmate a black eye and bloody nose. He has no friends, is absent mind in class, does not obey school rules, steals other children's stuff, and
The result concluded that Johnny is an average intelligent child. However, Johnny is failing in his regular courses, and he is already a grade behind in school. He was admitted to the psychiatric unit after being implicated by police in a fire that destroyed an abandoned garage; his schoolmates told that Johnny was bragging that he “could burn the place down.” Johnny is rebellious and continues to reject that he has done anything wrong. The psychiatrist diagnoses Johnny with conduct disorder, childhood-onset type.