The t defiant opposition disorder (TOD) is a dysfunctional pattern of disobedient, defiant and hostile behaviour towards authority figures that some children present.

Expressions such as “emperor children” or “Emperor child syndrome” are also sometimes used to refer to this type of behaviour in childhood.

Causes of oppositional defiant disorder

It is a disorder whose incidence is higher in boys than in girls. Several investigations have shown that oppositional defiant disorder affects 20% of children between 5 and 10 years old . However, educational psychologists and pedagogues agree that this figure may be somewhat exaggerated due to different biases when assessing this type of behaviour and comparing it with children’s behaviour that is considered normal.

Oppositional defiant disorder usually begins around age 8, but depending on the case, it may even debut at age 4-5. It is often noted that is a dysfunctional behavior that is caused by a combination of biological, psychological and environmental factors .

Symptoms

  • Child does not obey adult orders
  • Anger and resentment towards other people
  • Tendency to argue with adults
  • Blames others for his own mistakes and failures
  • Poor relationship with peers: has few or no friends because they stay away from him
  • Gets into trouble at school
  • Low frustration tolerance
  • Little patience
  • He often takes revenge if he feels he has received a wrong
  • Is highly susceptible

To find out whether a child has Oppositional Defiant Disorder, he or she must repeat the pattern of behaviour for at least 6 months, fit in at least half of the symptoms described above , and clearly transgress the limits of habitual childhood misconduct.

The set of behaviors should be significantly different from other children of similar ages and the same level of cognitive development. The behaviour must have an impact on significant problems in the school environment or in their interpersonal relationships.

Detection and diagnosis

Children with symptoms that fit the ODD should be evaluated by a psychiatrist or psychologist.

Whether we are talking about children or adolescents, there are certain psychopathologies that can lead to symptoms and behaviours very similar to those of oppositional defiant disorder , and that should therefore be taken into consideration:

  • Anxiety disorders
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Cyclothymia
  • Depression
  • Learning disorders
  • Drug addiction (obviously, much more common in adolescents than in children)

Therapy and treatment

A qualified mental health professional, expert in individual therapy and in developmental and family disorders, is best able to evaluate and map out an effective treatment for this type of case . For their part, parents should also learn a series of guidelines and advice for managing and improving their child’s behaviour.

There are also some drugs that can be administered in cases where ODD is a consequence of another underlying psychopathology, such as depression or child psychosis. In any case, drug treatment should always be the last option , since psychological and family therapy report good levels of effectiveness in correcting this disorder.

Expectations and possible complications

Psychological therapy can have a good effect in most cases, but there are cases of especially problematic children whose behavioural pattern is more established. Children with oppositional defiant disorder may grow into adolescents and adults with behavioural disorders .

In some cases, the child with ODD may develop an antisocial personality disorder in adulthood.

In order to treat the disorder as soon as possible so that the prognosis is favorable, consult your doctor, psychologist, or psychiatrist if you have any doubts about whether your child might be adopting patterns of behavior that are characteristic of ODD.

Preventing oppositional defiant disorder

As parents, we must be consistent in setting rules and limits for our children in the home environment . In addition, we must apply punishments that are equivalent to the mischief of the child; we must never be too severe or contradictory with the rewards or punishments.

Children mainly learn by imitation . This means that the parents, as the primary reference for the children, serve as a mirror for the development of certain behavioural patterns. Therefore, we must be careful. And of course, we must avoid exercising abuse or emotional rejection because it could be a trigger for the appearance of this disorder.

  • Also it is important to encourage the child to have a good self-esteem in order to prevent this type of maladaptive behaviour from arising. To this end, we recommend that you read the following article:
    “10 strategies to improve your child’s self-esteem”

Some items that can help you educate your child properly

If you have five more minutes of reading time, we suggest you take a look at these posts which will give you some clues to prevent ODD and get your child to learn adaptive behavior patterns .

  • “The 8 basic tips not to spoil your child”
  • “Dealing with difficult children: 7 practical tips”
  • “Tips for Nurturing Your Children with Emotional Intelligence”

Bibliographic references:

  • Aitchison, J. (1992). The articulated mammal. Introduction to Psycholinguistics. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
  • Well, M.; Mirror, B.; Rodriguez, F. and Toro, S. (2000). Children with blindness.
  • Pérez Pereira, M. (1995). New perspectives in developmental psychology. A critical historical approach. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
  • Pinker, S. (2001). The instinct of language. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
  • Villuendas, Mª.D. and Gordo López, A. (coords.) (2003). Gender relations in psychology and education. Madrid: Ministry of Education. Community of Madrid.