What Is Oppositional Defiant Disorder And Could My Child Have It?

Argumentative And Defiant Behavior Symptoms

A child who pushes the boundaries with authority figures once or twice is not a child with oppositional defiant disorder. Children who may have ODD are those who actively refuse to follow the rules, listen to any adult or authority figure, or do what's expected of them, all on a frequent basis. They are also children who look for ways to deliberately misbehave or anger others and take pleasure in annoying others. They also take no responsibility for their actions, and instead, often have a reason why their behavior is someone else's fault.

Uncover the details on the full criteria for a diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder now.

Criteria For An ODD Diagnosis

A medical professional cannot diagnose a child with oppositional defiant disorder without first proving a child has a pattern of behavior meeting the specific requirements set out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The first requirement for an accurate diagnosis is the patient must exhibit a minimum of four symptoms from one of the three categories of symptoms. As discussed, these are angry and irritable mood; argumentative and defiant behavior; and vindictiveness. Other DSM-5 requirements include: the symptoms must occur with at least one person not a sibling to the patient; cause issues at home, school, or work; occur on their own rather than as part of another mental illness such as bipolar disorder; and last for a minimum of six months before diagnosis.

Continue reading for more information on obtaining an accurate ODD diagnosis in children.