How to Treat Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
Oppositional Defiant Disorder vs. Normal Defiance
Oppositional Defiant Disorder is one of the three disruptive behavior disorders defined by the American Psychiatric Association in their handbook of mental disorders, the DSM-IV. Children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder display belligerent and antagonistic behavior towards parents, teachers, and other adults in authority roles. These children tend to quarrel frequently with their peers and intentionally do things to irritate others. They also are easily annoyed.
Due to their difficult behavior, ODD children have a lot of problems in their interactions with others. Although it is the behavior of these children that is the root of most of their conflicts, ODD children do not see it that way. They usually blame others for the problems they encounter and do not take responsibility for their actions.
Does Your Child Have Oppositional Defiant Disorder?
The difference between oppositional defiance, which is normal and an oppositional defiance disorder is a matter of degree. How do you tell the difference?
If your child's oppositional defiant behavior is persistent, has been going on for at least six months, and is disrupting your family life, his home and school environment, and is clearly interfering with his ability to function normally, then your child's oppositional defiance may meet the criteria to be classified as a disorder.
Your child may have ODD if your child is regularly and consistently:
- Angry
- Disobedient
- Argumentative
- Quick to take offense
- Malicious
- Vindictive
- Aggressive toward other children
- Resentful
- Cruel
Oppositional Defiant Disorder children display their defiance by:
- Talking back to adults
- Refusing to obey requests from adults
- Blaming others for mistakes or misbehaviors
- Deliberately flaunting rules
- Willfully annoying others
- Being quick to anger
- Speaking harshly to others
- Seeking revenge
- Having frequent temper tantrums
- Having difficulty maintaining friendships
If your child is persistently disobedient, willfully defiant, constantly negative, or incessantly hostile toward you or other figures of authority, you may have a reason for concern.
Which ODD Behavior Bothers You the Most?
My child always has to have it his way
If you try to make the rules, he has to modify the more...6 points
I have to follow my son around so he doesn't destroy things, even when in time out
0 points
Diagnosing Oppositional Defiant Disorder
If you suspect your child's defiance is not normal for his age, you need to consult a qualified mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, who has experience working with and diagnosing ODD in children. Your child should have a full evaluation, including a medical screen for problems such as sensory processing defects, muscle coordination problems, and an evaluation for learning disabilities.
If you would like to do a quick preliminary assessment yourself you can try this ODD Test
Why do Some Children Have ODD?
The first theory is that Oppositional Defiant Disorder comes as a result of disruption of normal behavioral development. Most two to four year old children demonstrate oppositional defiance that is quite similar to ODD. Researchers feel that ODD children may get stuck in this stage of development and never fully grow out of it. However, parents of ODD children often report that their children were more demanding and inflexible even at a young age, suggesting that ODD is not just a matter of arrested development.
Proponents of the second theory suggest that the defiance of Oppositional Defiant Disorder children is a result of negative interactions with adults that these children have while growing up.
There seem to be several physical factors that influence the appearance of ODD.
There are sexual differences. At younger ages, boys tend to have ODD more frequently than girls. However, as the children get older the sexual discrepancy goes away and in older children the rate of oppositional defiance is about the same.
There are strong indications that ODD can be an inherited trait. Also, mothers who smoke or drink excessively while pregnant have a greater chance of giving birth to children who will develop an oppositional defiance problem.
There are psychological and social factors that contribute to the likelihood of ODD occurring. Children who grow up in abusive or unstable homes or in homes where there is only a single parent are more likely to develop Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Also, children who are brought up in an environment where there is poverty, alcohol and drug abuse, or violence are more likely to develop oppositional defiance.
Co-existing Conditions
What other conditions accompany Oppositional Defiant Disorder? If your child has ODD, then there is a:
- * 50-65% chance he also has ADHD
- * 35% chance he will eventually develop an affective disorder
- * 20% possibility he will develop Bipolar disorder or some other mood disorder in the future
- * 15% chance he will eventually have some type of personality disorder
- * Significant possibility he has an overlooked learning disorder

For this reason, if you think your child might have Oppositional Defiant Disorder you should have him evaluated for other problems as well. You need to uncover these other problems, because that will give you the keys to effectively treating his oppositional defiance in many instances, as we shall soon discuss.
Future Outlook
- There are children that do outgrow their oppositional defiance. 50% of younger children who are believed to have ODD will no longer meet the diagnostic criteria for this condition by the time they are eight years old. However, if a child still has ODD when he is eight, there is only a 25% chance he will ever outgrow it.
- Occasionally, what was thought to be ODD when a child was younger is really a precursor of some other condition. 5-10% of preschool children who were believed to have ODD have their diagnosis changed later on to ADHD. At times the oppositional defiance of these children deteriorates and they eventually meet the criteria for Conduct Disorder, the most serious of the three disruptive behavior disorders in children. If the child is going to go in this direction, it is usually evident early in his life. Most children who have ODD for several years who have not yet showed signs of Conduct Disorder will probably never develop it.
- 5% will continue to have Oppositional Defiant Disorder and nothing else.
- Most children will continue to have ODD, but show signs of some other co-existing disorder.
Insights on Oppositional Defiance in Teens
Treatment of Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Research shows that ODD children who also have ADHD have a 90% chance of eliminating their oppositional defiance if their ADHD is treated effectively. This is true even when the severity of ADHD by itself was not enough to warrant medical intervention.
Omega-3 oils and vitamin E were tested in ODD children. Both seemed to help with the behavior to some degree.
Psychological Treatment
Generally, the younger your child is when you enroll in such a program, the better the outcome will be. However, recently a new extremely effective method for addressing ODD teenage behavior was developed. If your oppositional defiant child is already a teenager, you still are able to help your child. See the recommended resources below for more information.
What You Need to Do
1. Get your child a thorough medical and psychological evaluation. You must know exactly what your child's problems are before you can take steps to eliminating them.
2. After you identify any other disorders that your child has, treat them aggressively. Addressing the conditions that accompany ODD can often be the quickest way to eliminate your child's oppositional defiance.
3. Consider giving your child an Omega-3 supplement and a vitamin E supplement. There are no ill effects of giving these nutrients and most children are deficient in them.
4. Enroll in a parent training program, either locally if you have the financial resources, or on line.
Conclusion
If you identify your child's other problems and treat them; AND if you develop your parenting skills through a specialized parenting program, then you will be successful.
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Recommended Resources
Information
- Child & Teen Discipline: FREE CD
- Get a FREE CD on how to deliver effective consequences to children and teens- This is a great resource!
- University of Virginia
- Detailed information on oppositional defiant disorder, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention
- Health Scout
- Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention of Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Do you need help with an Oppositional Defiant Disorder child? Is your child's behavior and defiance destroying your family? We have information that will help you.
- Complete Connection Parenting Community
- A great blog on all sorts of parenting issues
- "Parenting with Control" e-Letter series
- A great newsletter for parents struggling with their children. There are separate letters for parents of younger children and parents of teens.
- University of Maryland
- Oppositional defiant disorder, Oppositional defiant disorder is a pattern of disobedient, hostile, and defiant behavior toward authority figures. To fit this diagnosis, the pattern must persist for at least 6 months and must go beyond the bounds of normal childhood misbehavior.
Online Treatment Programs
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder Parenting Help
- Program to help parents take control of their child's difficult defiant behavior. For children for the ages of 3-12.
- Teen Behavior Program
- Program to help parents with difficult teen behavior. For ages 12 and older.
- ADD ADHD Child Treatment Program
- The complete integrated program that shows you how to get the right treatment plan for your ADHD child for less than the cost of one visit to your doctor.
Online Screening Tests
- ODD Screening Test
- Screening test for Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Complete Connection Parenting Community
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- Homework and Your Child
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- Can ODD become Conduct Disorder
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- ODD Teenagers and Homework
- Homework for teens with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) can be a real issue. This is the age when homework becomes much more important and teachers are giving much more in terms of volume and complexity. Teenagers will have to spend more time on homework as they move up in the school system. As
- ODD or ADHD? What is the Difference?
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) are two distinct and separate conditions typically diagnosed in childhood. They are confused because quite a number of children with ODD are also diagnosed with ADHD. Oppositional defiant disorder can co exist wi
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Did You Like This Article? Please Let Me Know
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- Nicole Nicole Oct 1, 2009 @ 12:57 pm
- YOU can help your son! I too have a daughter with ODD and three other children who don't have ODD, I just need to continually be learning different parenting skills to work with my daughter because she responds differently than my other children do. It's not hopeless, just frustrating at times. But you can do it because you obviously love your son. It takes a ton of patience and there will be days when you want to pull your hair out but progress will be made slowly. He wants to show you love and respect, when times are hard you have to trust and believe in that.
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Reply
- lennie lennie Aug 26, 2009 @ 3:33 am
- hi , the article was very interesting for me to read and sums my child up all in one. And there is alot of other thing in the article i could benifit from to as well. thank you.
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Reply
- lennie lennie Aug 26, 2009 @ 3:33 am
- hi , the article was very interesting for me to read and sums my child up all in one. And there is alot of other thing in the article i could benifit from to as well. thank you.
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Reply
- Naomi Naomi Aug 11, 2009 @ 12:57 am
- I glimped the article and found it to be extremely informative/very very helpful.
"THANKS A MILLION"
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- Rob Miller Rob Miller Jul 27, 2009 @ 4:55 am
- None
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- CLAUDIA CLAUDIA Jun 30, 2009 @ 9:21 am
- This is a very educational wep page. I thank A. Kane for recommending it. I currently work in Venezuela as a Psychologist and am engaging in Parents Education Programs constantly. I believe we lack of a lot of information here in Venezuela. Thanks and best regards.
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- Michelle Michelle May 30, 2009 @ 11:43 am
- I too, as with all of you. Dealing with an ADHD/ODD child. He is 6 and will be 7 in July. He has been through every ADHD medicine on the market, and he also takes Prozac for his mood swings. I was hoping to find an ADHD med. that works for him. I have asked the doctor about bi-polar disorder, and yet he is too young to diagnose. He is a very, very smart child. I don't know what to do with him, he talks back, throws temper tantrums. And really don't know what to do. Can anyone help!!
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- Karen Karen May 27, 2009 @ 1:49 pm
- My biggest situation is that my son who is now 11 is very good at acting smart. I say acting smart (because I can see and so can his teachers and others) that he definetly needs help or assistance with school work or at a sport or even in addressing peers and won't take it.I have had him tested several times in the past that now the testing just makes me look as though i am looking for a disorder in him. Again he is very smart, very very althletic but o my goodness so angry. Often coaches want him (all sports, extreamly good at basketball, baseball, lacrosse, football,soccer) but all say to me how worried they are about his behavior. He has been suspended from school because of fighting with other kids, mouthing off to teachers and other staff. I am a single Mom of 4 children and often tell him I love him and try to use the word and instead of But when he has to tell me why things aren't his fault. Gosh I am trying and often feel at a loss for situations that arise with him.
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Reply
- fed up fed up May 21, 2009 @ 12:15 pm
- You obviously have never lived with a child with this disorder. Before you condemn, spend 24 hours with one of these kids. But be sure to leave your vaulables at home, because more then likely the kid will have them when you leave!
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Reply
- Linda stevens Linda stevens May 8, 2009 @ 4:37 am
- Dr. Kane is my favorite research resource. I am so deeply thankful to him and grateful for every one of his video's!! The endless emails and follow up contacts have kept me sane and hopeful. I cannot say enough good things about the benefits of reading and listening to everything one can find that he has out there. This news letter is one of the best resources yet! Thank you Thank you Thank you Dr. Anthony Kane.
Sincerely Linda Stevens in Virginia Beach
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