Oppositional defiant disorder or ODD develops during childhood, many patients experiencing symptoms throughout adolescence and adulthood, unless special psychosocial treatments are introduced. Social studies aiming to reveal the causes behind this disorder have concluded that children whose parents have trouble with substance abuse, namely alcohol, and have a history with breaking the law, run an 18% probability to develop ODD during their early childhood. This evidence prompted psychologists to believe that ODD is actually the result of behaviour trans-generationally transmitted. In other words, children adopt their parents' behaviour, be it defiant, hostile or antisocial, as their own.
It is very important to know that ODD is different from conduct disorder (CD) in that the latter manifests through a repetitive antisocial pattern of behavior with the single purpose of breaking every rule, limit or norm imposed. ODD, however, is a disorder that can be recognized by the emotional intensity which usually accompanies each and every of its symptoms, starting with rage outbursts, the defiant attitude, and ending with the resentful and spiteful character of every action.
Children with ODD surpass the boundaries of normal childhood problems with authority. For example, if a normal child who enjoys his independence is given a chore, he/she will, at first, try to get out of it and then eventually comply; however, a child with ODD would start breaking everything in sight while screaming that nobody has the power to decide what he should do, but him/her. This example only presents two of the many other ODD symptoms, specifically: refusing to comply with requests/rules and acting so as to deliberately annoy or angry others.
Besides generally being defiant, disrespectful and hostile, children with ODD are often easily annoyed or low tempered, and will start a fight or an argument even without having good reasons, but just "for fun of it". Also, when confronted with the consequences of their behavior, these children will blame others and refuse to accept responsibility. Their overall hostile attitude is oriented strictly at parents and other authority figures in their life. It seems as though children with oppositional defiant disorder are incapable of forgiving or forgetting given that they seek revenge and are always resentful of others.
Last but not least, such symptoms have a dramatic effect on the child's social life. He/she has major difficulties with integrating and building relationships with other children of the same age. Also, academic performance is very low with children presenting ODD symptoms. The only known treatments are based on cognitive behavioral therapy which focuses on positive reinforcement, parent training programs, individual and family psychotherapy, and social skills training.
Abigail Simmons is Author of Positive Parenting Secrets Book. She has helped many parents solve their parenting problem using her practical positive parenting techniques. To learn more about her parenting tips and techniques, please visit http://www.101ParentingResources.com
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