ODD and Symptoms:
Oppositional Defiant Disorder is a childhood disorder. It is characterized by negative, defiant, disobedient and often hostile behavior toward adults and authority figures primarily. In order to diagnose ODD, the behaviors must occur for at least a period of 6 months.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) consists of frequent occurrence of at least four of the following behaviors. Behaviors include, losing temper, arguing with adults, actively defying or refusing to comply with requests or rules of adults. Additionally, deliberately doing things that will annoy other people and blaming others for own mistakes or misbehavior. Also, being touchy or easily annoyed by others, being angry, resentful, spiteful or vindictive.
Negativistic and defiant behaviors can be persistent stubbornness, resistance to directions, and unwillingness to compromise with adults or peers. Defiance may also include deliberate or persistent testing of limits. For example, ignoring orders, arguing, and failing to accept blame for misdeeds.
Hostility can be directed at adults or peers and is shown by deliberately annoying others. Similarly, by verbal aggression, usually without the more serious physical aggression seen in Conduct Disorder.
Manifestations of the disorder are almost invariably present in the home setting, but may not be evident at school or in the community. Symptoms of the disorder are typically more evident in interactions with adults or peers whom the individual knows well. Thus, may not be apparent during clinical examination. Usually individuals with this disorder do not regard themselves as oppositional or defiant, but justify their behavior as a response to unreasonable demands or circumstances.
Specific Symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder
A pattern of negativistic, hostile, and defiant behavior lasting at least 6 months, during which four (or more) of the following are present:
often loses temper argues with adults
actively defies or refuses to comply with adults’ requests or rules
deliberately annoys people
tends to blames others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior
is touchy or easily annoyed by others
angry and resentful
can be spiteful or vindictive
Note: Consider a criterion met only if the behavior occurs more frequently than is typically observed in individuals of comparable age and developmental level.
The disturbance in behavior causes clinically significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning.
The behaviors do not occur exclusively during the course of a Psychotic or Mood Disorder (such as depression).
By Psych Central Staff