Question

Paul was always a "hand full"; as a toddler and then preschooler he was stubborn, refusing to speak to people who spoke to him or comply with simple requests. In elementary school, Paul's stubborn behaviors morphed into open defiance. He would not comply with school personnel requests he go to his classroom or with his teacher when she asked him to read or complete an assignment. At home, when asked by his parents to complete a chore or to do his homework, Paul would stare at them and simply say, "No." When Paul entered middle school, he started staying out late and not going to school. Eventually he started to run away whenever the mood struck him. Which of the pathways appropriately describes Paul's delinquent behaviors?​

Answer 1

The answer is: Authority conflict pathway

People who undergone Authority conflict pathway tend to be really stubborn toward the people who they perceive to have enough power to restrict their freedom.

if the 'authority' do not handle the situation properly, the stubborn behavior could develop into open deviance where those people now rebelling just for the sake of it, without any clear purpose. (just like Paul).

Almost every individuals undergone this pathway at a certain point in our life. But for most people, they experienced between the age of 12 - 17 (adolescent period).