Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Oppositional defiant disorder is a behavioral disorder of childhood characterized by recurrent disobedient, negativistic, or hostile behavior toward authority figures that is more pronounced than usually seen in children of similar age, lasting longer than six months. It generally manifests as temper tantrums, active defiance of rules, dawdling, argumentativeness, stubbornness, or being easily annoyed. The defiant behaviors typically do not involve aggression, destruction, theft, or deceit, which distinguishes this disorder from conduct disorder. ODD is diagnosed if a child does not meet the criteria for conduct disorder— most especially, extreme physical aggressiveness—but exhibits such behaviors as losing his or her temper, arguing with adults, repeatedly refusing to comply with requests from adults, deliberately doing things to annoy others, and being angry, spiteful, touchy, or vindictive. Oppositional defiant disorder should be distinguished from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, with which it often co-occurs, in the sense that the defiant behavior is not thought to arise from attentional deficits or sheer impulsiveness and children with ODD are more deliberate in their unruly behavior than children with ADHD.

Worried that your child might have ODD

1. Does your child often blame others for his/her mistakes or misbehaviour?
2. Is your child touchy, prickly, or easily offended?
3. Is your child spiteful, vindictive, or revenge seeking?
4. Does your child actively defy or refuse to comply with requests and rules at home or at school?
5. Does your child argue excessively with adults and other authority figures?
6. Does your child persistently test limits by ignoring rules or arguing?
7. Is your child unwilling or unable to compromise, give in, or negotiate with adults or peers?

Treatments, we provide that can help your child and you:

Psychoeducation

Psychometric assessment

Counselling

Behaviour Modification

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Family therapy

Play therapy