When admitting a child diagnosed with a conduct disorder, which symptom would the nurse expect to assess

A. History of cruelty towards people and animals: Children with conduct disorder often display aggression, cruelty, and violation of social norms. Harmful behaviors toward others, including animals, are a hallmark feature and indicate a pattern of antisocial tendencies. B. Confabulation when confronted with wrongdoing: Confabulation is more commonly associated with neurocognitive disorders or memory deficits rather than conduct disorder. Lying in conduct disorder is deliberate and manipulative, not due to memory impairment. C. Repeated complaints of physical symptoms such as headaches and stomach aches: Somatic complaints are more characteristic of anxiety disorders or somatization rather than conduct disorder, which involves behavioral and social rule violations. D. Excessive distress about separation from home and family: Separation anxiety disorder is characterized by extreme distress when away from caregivers. Conduct disorder involves disregard for rules and social norms rather than heightened attachment-related anxiety.