Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Oppositional Defiant Disorder: Disobedient and irritable with your child! Why is your child doing this, what is the reason behind it ?


There are many genetic, psycho-social and environmental factors that can lead to the development of aggressive behaviour in children. Although the exact causes are still unknown, here are some aspects that are believed to be the cause of this problem.

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a common disruptive behaviour disorder in children. which involve problems with self-regulation of behaviour and emotions. Other similar childhood behavioural disorders include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intermittent explosive disorder (IED), and conduct disorder (CD). Children with ODD often show aggressive and uncooperative attitudes toward their parents, peers, or anyone in authority. Often their behaviour causes them to be challenged. They are often labelled and judged as problem children whose growth is lower than others. As a result, it can have a negative impact on their development.
The exact cause of ODD is still unknown, however, there are many genetic, psycho-social and environmental factors that can lead to the development of aggressive behaviour in children. While the exact causes are still unknown, here are some aspects that are believed to be the cause of this problem.

– Research suggests that the heritability of ODD is about 50-61 percent. ODD genes inherited from parents can cause problems with serotonin and dopamine regulation in children and predispose them to aggressive symptoms. Parents are linked to ADHD, ODD, bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions. Alcoholism, maternal smoking or exposure to toxins during pregnancy, malnutrition, and chemical imbalances in the brain can affect the baby.

– Negative parenting behaviours such as harsh punishment, elder abuse, inconsistent discipline, and peer rejection. These factors are positively associated with ODD in children. These environmental factors may increase the severity of ODD when supported by genetic factors.

-Abuse, single parenthood, low social class, family turmoil, poverty, poor discipline, neighbours and untrustworthy relationships. Good parenting and trust in relationships can reduce the severity of this factor to a great extent.


Some of the behaviours observed in children with ODD include:

● -Persistent anger or irritable mood.
● Reasonable behaviour, often interrupting conflicts with parents.
● -Revengeful towards others.
● Impulsive behaviour.
● Poor tolerance
● High emotional reactivity.
● Getting upset easily.
● High mood problems.
● -Disobeying elders.
● Blaming others for one’s mistakes.
● Effect of negative attitude in their mind.
● Verbal aggression.

These symptoms are often persistent in children with ODD and last at least six months.

Author Sradhanjali Dasgupta

Consultant Psychologist, Speaker , Learning Developmental Coach, Teacher and trainer Miss. Sradhanjali Dasgupta has been extensively working in the field of Counselling and education for the past few years in several Clinics, Hospitals, NGOs and educational sectors. She also contributes her writings and blogs in various newspapers, magazines and e- magazines Her training and workshops are both for the corporate as well as for the educational sector and are geared up for learning and development,upgradation and capacity building. She have actively taken part in many debates

---

Creative representation for this blog is done by our extremely talented CreativeSaathi associate Morpheus Nag