Signs & Symptoms of Oppositional Defiance

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a condition in children or teenagers when they display extreme opposition to authority figures such as parents and teachers. According to the Mayo Clinic, nearly 1 out of every 10 children in the United States may experience ODD at some point during their childhood or teenage years. The National Institutes of Health add that boys are more commonly affected by ODD and that behaviors usually begin around age eight. Children and teenagers who display signs of ODD will need treatment that involves therapy and possibly even medication to control the disorder. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), about two-thirds of those children who receive proper treatment will stop displaying ODD symptoms within a period of three years.

ODD vs. Occasional Strong-willed Behaviors

• All children will exhibit strong-willed behavior at one time or another. However, to be considered oppositionally defiant, the child's upsetting behaviors should be persistent for a period of six months or more. The behaviors should be significantly disruptive to both school and home environments. Oftentimes ODD accompanies other conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD and learning disabilities.

Defiance and Disobedience

• Children with ODD will deliberately disobey authority figures. They may not do what they are told to do. Also, they may do the exact opposite of what they are told to do. These children may seek to defy parents or other authority figures just for the sake of being defiant. According to the AACAP, girls are more likely to lie about their actions than to be outwardly defiant.

Negativity

• Children with ODD are often very negative. They may seem to dislike everything and everyone. They may think everyone is against them.

Hostility

• ODD often results in hostile behaviors. Children may be aggressive toward parents, siblings and other children. This aggression may lead to physical violence in severe cases.

Other Symptoms

• Children and teenagers with ODD often display tantrums, are argumentative and oftentimes are deliberately annoying. Children with ODD may always blame others for their negative behaviors. They may themselves be easily annoyed by others and display undue resentment or anger. In addition, they may be aggressive toward other children, have problems keeping friends and display spiteful behaviors. They may have academic difficulties as well.