Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Who Can Use This Information?

Parents, Teachers, Principals, Behavior Specialists, School Counselors,
Social Workers, and Psychologists

What is Oppositional Defiant Disorder?

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a behavioral disorder usually first diagnosed in childhood or adolescence. It consists of oppositional behaviors that make parenting particularly difficult. A child or adolescent with this diagnosis is prone to losing one's temper, arguing with adults, being spiteful and annoying. The defiant aspect of this disorder includes behaviors such as stubbornness, resistance to directions and testing of limits. To meet this diagnosis these behaviors must persist for at least six months, significantly impair social, family and academic life and they cannot be related to any other diagnosis of a mood disorder with or without psychosis.

Symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Symptoms of ODD may include:

• Often loses temper
• Often argues with adults
• Often actively defies or refuses to comply with adult's requests or rules
• Often deliberately annoys people
• Often blames others for his or her mistakes or misbehaviors
• Often touchy or easily annoyed by others
• Is often angry and resentful
• Is often spiteful or vindictive

Causes of Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Many other mental illnesses often co-occur with ODD such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Learning Disorders and Communication Disorders. Frequently, ODD occurs in male preschoolers who have anger problems and/or hyperactivity. These school-aged children may be moody, have low self-esteem, low frustration tolerance and early abuse of drugs, alcohol and/or tobacco. Situations in which there are multiple caregivers, who inappropriately discipline children, may trigger this disorder.

ODD is more common in males than females before puberty. After puberty the male to female rates equalize. Males with this disorder tend to be more confrontational with more persistent symptoms. This disorder is reported to be prevalent in 2% to 16% of the child/adolescent population.

ODD usually first appears in the home in children prior to the age of eight and no later than14 years of age. The onset may be gradual. Although it may be a precursor to Conduct Disorder, not all will develop Conduct Disorder. Violent, disruptive and dysfunctional families where alcohol or drug abuse is present can facilitate this diagnosis in their children.

ODD is prevalent in dysfunctional families where at least one parent has a history of ADHD, ODD, or Antisocial Personality Disorder. Research indicates that families with a depressive parent can also have children with ODD.

Benefits of the Oppositional Defiant Disorder Material

Treatment for ODD and other conduct disorders can deter children and adolescents from delinquency and adult crime. Children with severe conduct disorders are at risk of exhibiting similar patterns of behaviors into adulthood. Because the juvenile population will increase 15% from 1990 to 2010, the 15 to 18 age group will grow 31%. The Oppositional Defiant Disorder material offered on this website will show you how you can be part of the solution with skills to recognize at risk youth with ODD and other behavior problems. You will also learn what can be done to help children with ODD disorder. Below is the contents of the ODD material.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder Material Outline

I.	Diagnosis of Oppositional Defiant Disorder
	a. Associated Features
	b. Age, Gender and Course of the Disorder
	c. Criteria for Diagnosis
II.	Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) vs. ODD vs.Conduct Disorder
	a. Associated Features
	b. Age, Gender and Course of the Disorder
	c. Criteria for Diagnosis
III.	Why Children Misbehave
	a. Child's Characteristics
	b. Parent's Characteristics
	c. Situational Characteristics
IV.	Clinical Assessment of Defiant Children
	a. Assessment Issues
	b. Rating Scales
V.	Clinical Assessment of Defiant Adolescents<
	a. Symptoms of Normal Adolescence
	b. Symptoms of Delinquency
VI.	Development of a Behavior Management Plan
	a. Implications
	b. Legal and Ethical Issues
VII.	Treatments of Oppositional Defiant Disorder
	a. Improving School Behaviors from Home
	b. Paying Attention to Compliance
	c. Giving Effective Commands
	d. Communciation Skills
	e. Problem Solving
	f. Negotiation Skills
VIII.	Writing Behavior Plans
	a. Behavioral Definitions
	b. Long-term Goals
	c. Short-term Goals

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Help a Child By Educating Yourself

Learn how to identify the symptoms and charactersitics of ODD and how to successfully work with children suffering from this disorder. Dr. Williams provides his in-depth and educational material in various formats, including manuals, audio books, videos, and work books. To order, click here on the links below to purchase your materials. To order educational materials on other behavioral disorders click on this link Behaviorial Disorders Manuals.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder Material Price "Oppositional Defiant Disorder" manual $14.95 "Oppositional Defiant Disorder" manual + audio book + workbook $199.95 "Oppositional Defiant Disorder" manual + audio book + video + workbook $299.95

Dr Earle H Williams II © 2008