Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Question: When should a parent seek professional help for a child who will not mind, despite frequent punishment? Answer: One of the most common complaints of parents is that they cannot get their child to behave or follow their instructions, although most parents are able to manage their children with typical methods of discipline. However, in some children, noncompliant behavior is so problematic that parents need additional help and support in learning to control their child. Oppositional Defiant Disorder is characterized by a persistent pattern of negative, hostile, and defiant behavior such as: often loses temper often argues with adults often defies or refuses to comply with adult requests or rules often spiteful and vindictive often angry and resentful often blames others for own mistakes or misbehavior often touchy or easily annoyed often deliberately annoys others It is important to note that while most children have demonstrated some of these behaviors at one time or another, only about 5% of children exhibits symptoms that are frequent and persistent enough to warrant a diagnosis. What differentiates an ODD child from the average child who won't mind his parents is the frequency of the behavior and whether or not it is causing problems in the child's life. For example, parents of ODD children may avoid public outings or have increased family stress specifically related to trying to deal with the child's behavior. In addition, because of the constant conflict created by parents' efforts to get their child to behave, the parent-child relationship is disrupted and can become quite negative. Parents of ODD children are typically very frustrated and have tried a variety of discipline techniques to get their child to behave without long-term success. In fact, too much punishment can make ODD children worse. The best treatment for ODD children ages 2 to 8 is Parent-Child Relationships Therapy, a behavioral approach to improving not only the oppositional behavior, but also the child's negative mood and the interactions between parent and child. A similar, less structured approach that involves parent education and training is recommended for older children. For additional information, contact The Rice - Lewis Clinic. Answered by: Dr. Susan Bryant, Ph.D.