Oppositional Defiant Disorder [ODD] is a difficult situation for families to endure. It’s more than just the typical rebelliousness that occurs in children as they seek to find out who they are and seek independence. It’s a disruptive behavior that includes hostile disobedience and defiance that is directed toward all authority figures. It’s more than just being stubborn or seeking out an argument. Children with ODD are quick to anger, have many outbursts, and struggle to control their temper.
Statistics about Oppositional Defiant Disorder
1. Up to 16% of adolescents today may have some form of Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
2. ODD usually appears in children when they reach a late preschool or early school age.
3. When children are younger, ODD is more common in boys than in girls. As children age, however, girls and boys share an equal risk of developing this disorder.
4. ODD tends to happen more often in children who live in households that are in lower socioeconomic groups.
5. Oppositional Defiant Disorder can affect children in families that come from any background.
6. About 10% of children will have their ODD officially diagnosed by a medical professional.
7. The percentage of children who have ODD and also have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD]: 40%.
8. 67% of children who receive a diagnosis of ODD will have their behavioral problems resolve within 3 years.
9. 7 out of 10 kids who have ODD do not have any symptoms of the disorder by the age of 18.
10. About 10-30% of kids who have ODD will go on to have some form of a conduct disorder.
11. Kids who develop Oppositional Defiant Disorder before the age of 10 are the most likely to develop a conduct disorder.
12. Another 10% of kids will develop a long-lasting personality disorder, such as antisocial personality disorder [APD].
13. Having ODD increases the risk for a child to develop anxiety issues or depression.
14. More than 70% of the teenagers who went through individual therapy programs showed significant behavioral improvements in just 4 months.
15. Once a child develops a conduct disorder, they have a 40% chance of developing APD as an adult.
16. Of those with lifetime ODD, 92.4% meet criteria for at least one other lifetime DSM-IV disorder.
17. Nearly half of kids with ODD will go on to abuse some form of substance later on in their lives.
18. 68% of kids with ODD will exhibit a lifelong struggle with impulse control.
More Interesting Facts About Oppositional Defiant Disorder
ODD isn’t what you see in the two year old who is refusing to listen. It is a disorder that causes kids to become suspicious and angry of all authority figures. It goes beyond a desire of not wanting to be told what to do.
Some early research shows that when intervention and treatment options are made available right from the start, children are able to overcome the symptoms of ODD and maintain control. It is also believed that treating ODD can prevent future mental health conditions that may lead to serious illnesses as an adult. Treatment generally includes family therapy, but parental training and behavioral control through coping skills are often thought to help as well. The key to successful treatment is always an individualized, person-centered approach.
Most treatment focuses on control. Parents are taught better ways to discipline effectively so that the child is not triggered by the encounter, but still understands that a choice was wrong or unsafe. Kids are taught specific techniques that help them to manager their anger. Stressful situations have specific coping skills associated with them and in severe instances, prescription medication might also be recommended to manage symptoms.
To understand Oppositional Defiant Disorder, it is important to understand the statistics about these difficult behaviors. With this information, it becomes possible to find the right course of treatment to take so that ODD can just become a distant memory in a child’s life.
Causes and Impact of ODD
What causes ODD to develop? No one really knows for sure, but there are a couple of theories that are thought to be pretty accurate. Because early onset ODD tends to happen in the late preschool years, it is thought that the child is struggling to detach from their primary caregiver as they begin to progress through other childhood stages. It’s almost as if the Terrible 2’s are extended, enhanced, and then given some caffeine.
It is also believed that households that use negative reinforcement techniques for discipline also increase the risks of ODD development. Because kids are forced to essentially beg for extra attention in these households, the disorder develops through the child’s desire to have extra attention or time with the parent. Sometimes all that is necessary to prevent the development of ODD is for a parent to share some extra concern over a child and provide an expanded interaction time that is one-on-one.
Could your child have ODD? It is possible if you see frequent temper tantrums and a willingness to argue with anyone who holds an authority position. This is more likely when there is a refusal to comply with a request and if there is constant questioning of the rules. The goal of ODD is more to annoy rather than be defiant, however, which is a bit ironic because kids with ODD are also easily annoyed by others.
The real question is this: can ODD be proactively prevented? In some cases, this may be so because it appears that this disorder can form because of ineffective parenting practices. When compounded by poor peer interactions and negative encounters with other authority figures, the child will determine that they are on an island and have no help. That’s why coping skills and stress management through individual and family therapy is often very successful.
If you have a child with ODD, hang in there. The statistics say that life is going to get better pretty soon. You can do it.