OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a theory proposed to explain an ongoing pattern of disobedient, hostile, and defiant behavior toward authority figures that goes beyond the bounds of normal childhood behavior.

When a child cannot seem to control his anger or frustration, even over what seems to be trivial or simple to others, the child will often react in violent or negative ways to his own feelings. A physician will commonly refer the child to a psychiatrist who will determine if the child frequently shows four or more of the following behaviors or signs of the disorder for more than six months:
• Arguing with adults
• Losing temper
• Angry or resentful of others
• Actively defies adults’ requests or rules
• Negative attitude
• Blames others for his or her own mistakes or behaviors
• Seems touchy or easily annoyed by others
• Deliberately annoys others
• Acts spitefully or vindictive.

Some researchers believe that ODD is symptomatic of other disorders in children such as ADHD, depression, or bipolar disorder. Oppositional defiant disorder may, therefore, be an indication that some underlying disorder exists.

Click here for the full range of Asperger's and autism fact sheets at www.autism-help.org
GNU Free Documentation. It is derivative of an autism and Asperger's syndrome-related articles at http://en.wikipedia.org