Eureka! Institutional Repository

This postgraduate thesis discusses the practices developed by high school teachers in classroom to manage children who present conduct disorders. Qualitative research was conducted using a semi-structured interview and the methodology of the thematic analysis was applied for the export of the results. Fifteen high school teachers from the prefecture of Imathia who have at least 15 years teaching experience have participated in the research. The analysis of the research results showed that high school teachers do not have a clear picture of the behaviors that betray the existence of conduct disorders, but they are suspicious of it and distinguish it from adolescent reactivity, they mainly identify with boys and attribute it to deficiencies in the family environment. Teachers consider that the interactive behaviors have a very negative impact on children’s academic performance, relationships with their classmates and teachers, and in general, the educational process and management of the classroom. Most teachers experience the process of managing the school class as particularly soul-destroying, because they do not have the required knowledge and support from specialised bodies, so that they feel weak and helpless. However, teachers make a great effort to manage children with conduct disorders in the most appropriate way. Their most common practices are personal dialogue with the child, communication with parents and cooperation with the headmaster and other colleagues. But because they do not feel confident about the methods they choose, they emphasize the need for the school units to be supported by specialists with whom they will collaborate and co-formulate actions for the more effective management of children with conduct disorders. The research results can be exploited by prospective researchers at a theoretical level and to improve the practices used in the management of children with conduct disorders.