Helping 14–16-Year-Old Boys with RAD and Angry Behavior

Raising a teenage boy is never without its challenges—but when your son is between the ages of 14 and 16 and struggling with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and chronic anger issues, those challenges can feel overwhelming. As a parent, you may feel isolated, exhausted, and unsure where to turn.

If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Liahona Boys Academy is a residential treatment center for troubled boys that specializes in helping young men navigate complex emotional and behavioral issues including RAD and explosive anger. With over 20 years of success, we’ve seen firsthand how the right environment can transform even the most defiant teenage boy into a confident, compassionate, and emotionally healthy young man.

What Is Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) in Teen Boys?

Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) is a serious condition that arises when a child doesn’t form healthy emotional bonds with caregivers during early childhood. While RAD typically begins before age five, its effects often intensify during adolescence especially for boys navigating the already volatile teenage years.

Common RAD Symptoms in 14–16-Year-Old Boys:

• Extreme defiance toward authority

• Hostile or aggressive behavior (verbally and physically)

• Inability to form trusting relationships

• Manipulative or controlling tendencies

• Frequent emotional outbursts or violent episodes

• Withdrawal from family and positive peers

• Difficulty expressing empathy or remorse

Many boys with RAD also struggle with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), further complicating their emotional landscape.

Why Anger Is a Common Expression of RAD in Teen Boys

Teenage boys are often taught directly or indirectly that anger is the only acceptable emotion. For a boy with RAD, this is intensified. These boys:

• Struggle with vulnerability

• Feel abandoned or unsafe

• Don’t trust adults or authority figures

• Often experience internal chaos that gets externalized as rage

Without proper treatment, this anger can turn into criminal behavior, substance abuse, school expulsion, or even estrangement from family.

This is where residential treatment becomes not just helpful, but essential.

Why Home and School Environments May Not Be Enough

Traditional schools, outpatient therapy, and even strong parental discipline often fail to reach RAD-afflicted teens because:

• They reject authority and view control as a threat.

• They don’t respond to standard punishments—the underlying trauma isn’t being addressed.

• They manipulate systems or play people against each other.

• They require 24/7 structure, consistency, and therapeutic immersion which most home settings cannot provide.

Why Liahona Boys Academy Is the Right Fit for Boys with RAD and Anger Issues

At Liahona Boys Academy, we specialize in working with 14–16-year-old boys who exhibit explosive behavior and trauma-related disorders. Our program is not punitive it is restorative. We combine structure, therapy, accountability, and compassion to unlock each student’s potential for healing.

Here’s What Sets Us Apart:

1. Trauma-Informed, Attachment-Focused Therapy

Our licensed therapists are trained in working with attachment disorders, oppositional behavior, and trauma.

• Individual therapy focuses on emotional regulation and trauma processing.

• Family therapy rebuilds damaged trust between the student and parents.

• Group therapy builds peer empathy, collaboration, and accountability.

We help boys see that anger is not a character flaw it’s a response to pain that can be understood and redirected.

2. Highly Structured Environment

RAD teens thrive in environments with predictability, routine, and consistency. At Liahona:

• Daily schedules are fixed and predictable

• Clear consequences and rewards are enforced compassionately

• Boundaries are firm, fair, and always followed through

This level of consistency reduces anxiety and helps boys feel safe often for the first time in years.

3. 24/7 Support and Mentorship

RAD boys often fear abandonment or rejection. Our 24/7 live-in mentors and staff provide the constant presence they need to learn healthy attachments.

Staff members don’t just supervise they mentor, encourage, and model emotional control and respect. Over time, boys start to let their guard down and trust again.

4. Character and Leadership Development

We help boys go from “angry and out of control” to “confident and accountable.” Our program includes:

• Daily journaling and reflection

• Leadership roles within the student community

• Service projects that build empathy and purpose

• Values-based coaching rooted in Christian principles

Students learn that their identity is not defined by their past behavior.

5. Therapeutic Academics

Boys with RAD often fall behind academically due to behavioral issues or poor attention. Our accredited academic program includes:

• Certified teachers and tutors

• Self-paced or instructor-guided coursework

• Emotional support woven into the classroom

• Focus on executive function and study habits

Boys start to succeed where they once struggled and this success builds self-worth.

6. Christian Foundation with Grace and Compassion

While we welcome boys from all backgrounds, our faith-based framework helps guide moral development, accountability, and forgiveness. There’s no pressure only encouragement.

For boys with RAD, experiencing unconditional grace can be life-changing.

How to Know If Liahona Is Right for Your Son

If your son is between 14 and 16, and you recognize these patterns:

• Severe anger outbursts that feel uncontrollable

• No remorse after hurting others

• Isolation, manipulation, or violent behavior

• Multiple failed therapy or school interventions

• RAD diagnosis or symptoms

Liahona Boys Academy may be the breakthrough your family has been praying for.

Take the First Step Toward Healing

We understand what you're going through and we’re here to help. At Liahona Boys Academy, we believe no boy is beyond hope, no matter how defiant, angry, or traumatized he may seem.

Our residential treatment program offers the time, space, tools, and professional guidance needed to help your son:

• Build healthy relationships

• Express emotion in a safe way

• Reconnect with family

• Rediscover academic and personal success

Let today be the day you reach out. Healing is possible and it starts with one call.

Contact Our Admissions Team

Call us confidentially to learn how Liahona can help your son and your family find peace again.