Parents and ‘naughty’ children: Two Vietnamese perspectives on conduct disorders and their implications for intervention

Abstract

Starting with a folk story, this paper offers an interpretation of many pieces of Vietnamese folklore in the light of theoretical approaches to maladaptive behaviour. Two perspectives on conduct disorder, namely the learning and community perspectives, which are commonly identifiable among older Vietnamese, are illustrated and some implications of these perspectives for intervention are presented. The paper concludes with a hopeful view that the ingredients for positive change in behaviour are readily available.