Oppositional Defiant Disorder: Diagnosis

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is defined by steady patterns of defiant behavior, vindictiveness, and anger/irritability displayed by the individual against caregivers and/or authority figures. The behaviors commonly associated with a diagnosis of ODD are temper tantrums, outbursts, noncompliance in response to rules, and arguing with authority figures. Behaviors associated with ODD typically last for at least 6 months and most commonly occur within the home. For mild cases of ODD, symptoms are confined to only one setting, but symptoms persist across multiple settings for more severe cases. As a result, it is imperative that the child’s behavior be assessed across multiple environmental settings and in interactions with multiple individuals. A diagnosis of ODD most typically occurs when the child is of preschool age and rarely ...