What Is Oppositional Defiant Disorder?

There is no clear-cut cause of Oppositional Defiant Disorder. However, most experts believe that a combination of psychological, social and biological risk factors play a role in the development of the disorder. Psychological Factors— Difficulty or inability to form social relationships or process social cues Neglectful or absent parent Poor relationship with one or more parent Social Factors— Abuse Chaotic environment Family instability (such as divorce or frequent moves) Inconsistent discipline Lack of supervision Neglect Poverty Uninvolved parents Biological Factors— Kids and teens are more susceptible to developing Oppositional Defiant Disorder if they have: A brain-chemical imbalance A mother who smoked during pregnancy A parent who has a problem with drinking or substance abuse A parent with a history of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, or Conduct Disorder A parent with a mood disorder (e.g., depress

Who gets Oppositional Defiant Disorder? A lot of kids! This is the most common psychiatric problem in young people. In younger kids, it is more common in males than females, but as they grow older, the rate is the same in boys and girls. There is a range of estimates for how many kids and teens have Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Evidence suggests that between 1 and 16 % of kids and teens have Oppositional Defiant Disorder. However, there is not very much information on the prevalence of Oppositional Defiant Disorder in preschoolers, and estimates can’t be made. Oppositional Defiant Disorder usually appears in late preschool or early school-aged kids. Although the disorder seems to occur more often in lower socioeconomic groups, Oppositional Defiant Disorder affects families of all backgrounds. ==> Help for Parents with ODD Children and Teens