1.5 Hours / 1.5 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on The Development of Conduct Disorder and Aggression is presented by Abigail Marsh, Ph.D., in partnership with Society for the Prevention of Disorders of Aggression

In this program, participants learn how to distinguish children with CD from other disruptive behavior disorders and the neurodevelopmental origins of these disorders. The neuroscience of deficits in empathy that have been identified in children with CD and Limited Prosocial Emotions are described. How these recent findings can be incorporated into effective treatment programs is discussed. 

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe the distinct psychological and neural correlates of reactive and proactive aggression
  • 2 Describe the relationship between Limited Prosocial Emotions and empathy
  • 3 Describe how recent findings can be incorporated into effective treatment programs

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health professionals—including psychologists, social workers, counselors, and other behavioral health practitioners—who work with children exhibiting Conduct Disorder (CD) and related disruptive behavior disorders. The program is suitable for professionals at any stage of their career who wish to deepen their understanding of assessment and evidence-based interventions for emotional and behavioral regulation in children and adolescents. The training is especially relevant for those specializing in child and adolescent psychology, neurodevelopmental disorders, and behavioral health, and is applicable across a variety of practice settings such as clinics, schools, hospitals, community organizations, and private practices. Please note: This training is not intended for psychiatrists.

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for all career stages: entry-level, mid-career, and experienced professionals.

  • Practice Setting

    • Psychologists

    • Social workers

    • Counselors

    • Other behavioral health professions (excluding psychiatrists)

    • Professionals working in:
        • - Mental health clinics
        -Schools
        -Hospitals
        -Community-based organizations
        -Private practice settings

Presented By

Abigail Marsh, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Georgetown University & Director of the Laboratory on Social and Affective Neuroscience

Abigail Marsh is Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Georgetown University and director of the Laboratory on Social and Affective Neuroscience. She received her BA from Dartmouth College and her PhD in Social Psychology from Harvard University in 2004 and conducted some of the first research aimed at understanding the neurodevelopment of psychopathy at the National Institute of Mental Health from 2004-2008. She focuses on the development of prosocial emotions like empathy, compassion, and remorse, with an emphasis on the neural structures and systems that support these phenomena. Her research in both adolescents and adults incorporates neuroimaging, cognitive and behavioral testing, and pharmacology techniques and has been covered by media outlets that include PBS, NPR, The Washington Post, The Economist, and The Wall Street Journal. She is the author of the award-winning book The Fear Factor and numerous scholarly publications in journals that include the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Psychological Science, American Journal of Psychiatry, and JAMA Psychiatry.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Abigail Marsh, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Define aggression and the neurobiological causes of aggression

  • Discuss neurobiological origins of Limited Prosocial Emotions (LPE) and how they relate to aggression

We are proud to partner with

Society for the Prevention of Disorders of Aggression

Society for the Prevention of Disorders of Aggression

We are proud to partner with the Society for the Prevention of Disorders of Aggression (formally PsychopathyIs). Their organization was founded by an international consortium of scientists, clinicians, authors, parents, and people affected by disorders of aggression (including psychopathy, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and antisocial personality disorder). They aim to alleviate the suffering caused by disorders of aggression by improving public awareness of these disorders and working towards improved tools for identifying, treating, and preventing these disorders across the lifespan. They seek to address the needs of children and adults with disorders of aggression, as well as the needs and concerns of their families and communities, through education and advocacy, improving public understanding of the signs, symptoms, and causes of disorders of aggression; and offering screenings, resources, and guidance to clinicians, educators, caregivers, and those experiencing disorders of aggression.

Learn More About Our Partner

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.