Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD)

Diagnosis and Treatment

This paper was designed to address the diagnostic similarities and differences between Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD) as described by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V (2013), as well as treatment options for children that have been diagnosed with either of these behavioral disorders. Also included is information regarding differential diagnoses for ODD and CD, cultural implications, and general considerations to keep in mind when working with children that have either disorder. This paper does not exhaust all the treatment options, or all the research regarding ODD or CD, but rather provides a general overview of the most often methods for treatment, and those that the author found most interesting.

Diagnostic Criteria

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a disorder that affects children and adolescents, featuring such diagnostic criteria as frequent exhibition of irritability, argumentative behavior, and spite. Children usually begin to exhibit symptoms between years 5-9, though it rarely begins to develop in the adolescent years. It is highly comorbid with Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), depression and anxiety disorders, and appears to affect males more often than females, though by a slight margin. This particular disorder affects approximately 3.3% of the population and is consist across cultures and ethnicities, though the diagnostic criteria may change somewhat in other countries (APA, 2013).

An individual is diagnosed with Conduct Disorder (CD) when he/she exhibits a frequent pattern of behavior that violates the “basic right of others” (APA, 2013) or important societal norms without regard. These behaviors are classified ...

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