This research paper reports two small studies which form part of a series of exploratory investigations by the authors where the explicit aim has been to examine why some children respond differently to management techniques normally effective with most. A close association between scores on the Psychopathic Deviant Scale (Pd) of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Scale and teachers' assessments of refractory behavior suggest that such behavior could be considered as being on the same continuum as psychopathy and that the Pd Scale might prove a useful index of it. Early adverse experience was also found to be related to refractory behavior, as in psychopathy.