Oppositional Defiant Disorder: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
He oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) either oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) It is a behavioral disorder that is characterized by a pattern of a series of behaviors and challenging, negative, hostile and inappropriate behavior towards people who constitute authority figures, such as parents, teachers, siblings, other family members, etc.
This is a type of disorder that occurs most frequently in children and adolescents, although some cases have also been observed in adults. It has been noted that it usually begins around the age of 8 and that before the stage of puberty, it is more common in boys than in girls, but that after puberty, the incidence in boys and girls is quite similar. The pattern of negativistic and defiant behavior has a great impact and very negative effects on the personal, social and academic life of the affected person. Especially, their personal relationships and academic performance are affected. In addition, it has been stated that between 30 and 50% of children who suffer from ADHD may also present ODD or ODD, so when diagnosing attention deficit and hyperactivity, this must be taken into account. In this PsychologyFor article, we explain in detail what they are. The causes, symptoms, and treatment of oppositional defiant disorder.
The causes of oppositional defiant disorder are multiple and its development is considered to be related to a combination of biological, psychological, genetic, social and environmental factors. Below, we detail what these factors may be that could increase the risk of presenting this dysfunctional pattern of behavior:
Genetic factors: Those children who have a family history of psychiatric disorders have a greater predisposition to develop behavioral problems.
Biological factors: If there is significant damage or alterations in brain areas such as, for example, the frontal lobe, behavioral disorders may appear. People with frontal lobe problems may have serious difficulties controlling their behaviors and may be aggressive and impulsive. In addition to this, a certain influence on the suffering of ODD has also been seen in the presence of alterations in the neurotransmitters or chemicals of the brain, as well as the presence of other disorders at the same time, whether ADHD, mood disorders, mental disorders. of humor, etc.
Psychological factors: This disorder usually occurs in children who have a complicated temperament and who have complications in correctly developing personal and social skills.
Environmental factors: inadequate education by parents in childhood, very authoritarian or disciplined parents, lack of parental control or supervision, use of negative reinforcement techniques by parents or other authority figures, abuse, etc.
Social factors: There are certain social circumstances that can favor suffering from this disorder, such as living in very marginal environments or poverty.
Symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder according to DSM IV
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, it can be diagnose oppositional defiant disorder if the criteria which we list below:
A) Pattern of negativistic, defiant and hostile behavior for at least 6 months, in which 4 or more of the following behaviors must be manifested:
He gets angry frequently and has tantrums.
He argues a lot with the adults around him.
He is defiant towards adults and does not comply with their orders or demands.
Frequently bothers others.
Great sensitivity and is easily offended or upset.
He is angry and resentful.
He has resentment and desire for revenge.
B) Significant alterations and deterioration in the social, academic and work spheres of the affected person.
C) These oppositional or defiant behaviors do not occur exclusively during the course of suffering from a mood disorder or psychotic disorder.
D) The criteria for diagnosing conduct disorder are not met and if the affected person is 18 years or older, the criteria for antisocial personality disorder are not met either.
Symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder in children and adolescents
In children and adolescents with oppositional defiant disorder the following symptoms and characteristics are common:
He gets angry very easily.
He is easily offended by the words or actions of others.
Even if he makes mistakes, he usually blames other people.
He has a rather rude vocabulary, with insults and lack of respect as soon as you say something that doesn’t seem right to him or if you contradict him.
He shows a lot of anger the moment he is ordered or asked to do something.
He has a vengeful attitude and is very spiteful.
He flatly refuses to comply with the orders or demands of the adults around him and is defiant.
Tends to annoy others for no reason or reason.
He constantly gets into arguments, whether with his parents, teachers, classmates, siblings, etc.
Justifies his behavior frequently.
He is not affected by the punishments imposed on him.
Symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder in adults
As we have already mentioned before, although it is not very common, oppositional defiant disorder can also occur in adult people In these, the common signs and characteristics of his personality and behavior are those listed below:
Aggressive and/or violent behavior.
He always wants to be right and “win” in arguments.
Follow discussions with authority figures.
He carries out actions only because he is certain that they will bother or bother some people around him.
He is very susceptible and gets upset very easily.
You frequently argue with your family, friends, co-workers, boss, etc.
You feel oppressed by social rules or norms.
Does not accept constructive criticism.
It’s disrespectful.
In the case of adults, it is also very important to treat oppositional defiant disorder, since otherwise it can end up leading to antisocial personality disorder.
Psychological treatment of oppositional defiant disorder
He oppositional defiant disorder treatment It must be established taking into account the particularities of each case, since it may vary depending on the age of the affected person and the severity of the symptoms.
You must start a psychological treatment in order to help the patient develop all the skills that allow them to solve their problems and manage their emotions and inappropriate behaviors. In particular, aggressive behaviors must be controlled, learning to adapt to appropriate social norms and behaviors, and making appropriate use of language. Psychotherapy may include the following:
Individual therapy: Cognitive-behavioral therapy is usually used so that the patient becomes able to solve their problems, develop communication skills and control their impulsivity and anger.
Family therapy: It serves to make certain changes in the environment and family relationships, since desirable behaviors must be promoted and, on the other hand, those that may be maintaining the patient’s negativistic and challenging behavior must be eliminated. It is important to improve communication between different family members, as well as the interaction between them.
Group therapy: Group therapies carried out with other children with oppositional defiant disorder can be very useful for the development of appropriate personal and social skills.
Pharmacological treatment of oppositional defiant disorder
In some cases, psychotherapy can be combined with the consumption of some medications. Pharmacological treatment is generally not used for oppositional defiant disorder, but is only recommended when there is presence of other symptoms or disorders such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, etc.
However, medical instructions regarding the use of drugs should always be followed and self-medication avoided at all times.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder: Guidelines for Parents
Some of the tips that parents can take into account when educate and live with a child with oppositional defiant disorder are:
Try to develop a good emotional bond with your children.
Educate children using positive reinforcement, that is, recognizing and rewarding good behavior, whether with a simple compliment or a smile.
Avoid having altered or aggressive actions with children so as not to worsen their negativistic or defiant behavior. It is important to calm down and wait a while to avoid very exaggerated or excessive reactions. You should try to be a good example for your children.
Improve communication with your children, ensuring that it is as positive as possible, since if everything is arguments or reproaches, their dysfunctional pattern of behavior will get much worse.
Establish flexible discipline with reasonable limits. Avoid being excessively authoritarian or maintaining very strict discipline, since children with this disorder have a very difficult time following orders and, with this, the opposite can be achieved.
It is important to learn to sanction bad behavior in a constructive way.
Try to spend more time with your children, do things together and make efforts to improve the family environment.
This article is merely informative, at PsychologyFor we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Oppositional defiant disorder: causes, symptoms and treatment we recommend that you enter our Clinical Psychology category.
