Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is examined in terms of definition, etiology, problems associated with diagnosis and study, and treatment. Oppositional defiant disorder is a disorder that involves symptoms which, when they occur at a certain developmental stage, are considered normal, but when they persist or occur at a later stage of development, they are signs of the disorder. There are a number of problems raised with reference to the study of ODD, notably the question of its specific relationship to a more severe disorder, conduct disorder. There is evidence that the two are linked developmentally so that ODD may lead to conduct disorder, but there is also evidence that they may be two distinct issues. Research in this area continues, but some sharing of symptomology exists between the two disorders. This overlap can add to the difficulty of diagnosis, which in any case is problematic for study purposes because there is no codified and accepted set of guidelines for assessing symptoms to determine when ODD us signified and when it is not. There is evidence that the development of the disorder is related to specific drug abuse and antisocial personality disorder in the father. Treatment in the typical case utilizes talking therapy, but a new approach called REST (Real Economy System for Teens) has been used with considerable success.
Oppositional defiant disorder is a psychiatric disorder found in children, classified along with other disruptive behavioral disorders. Behrens (1992) notes that there are numerous behaviors considered appropriate at certain developmental levels that are obviously pathologic when they are present at later stages. Among these behaviors are lying, impulsiveness, breath-holding, defiance, and temper tantrums, all of which are frequently noted around the ages of 2 to 4 years when children begin to need autonomy but do not have the motor and social skills necessary for successful independ...