• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Children's Hospital of Orange County

Children's Hospital of Orange County

Donate
  • I Want To…
    • Find a Doctor
    • Make an Appointment
    • Access CHOC Patient Portal
    • Explore Career Opporunities
    • Estimate My Charges
    • Pay My Bill
    • Request Medical Records
    • Download Vaccine Records
    • Refer a Patient
    • Visit a Patient
    • Connect
    • Volunteer
    • Help
    • I Want To…
      • Find a Doctor
      • Make an Appointment
      • Access CHOC Patient Portal
      • Explore Career Opporunities
      • Estimate My Charges
      • Pay My Bill
      • Request Medical Records
      • Download Vaccine Records
      • Refer a Patient
      • Visit a Patient
      • Connect
      • Volunteer
      • Help
  • Services
    • Primary Care
    • Specialty Care
    • Mental Health
    • Conditions Library
    • All CHOC Services
  • Patients & Families
    • Make an Appointment
    • MyCHOC Patient Portal
    • Pay Your Bill
    • Request Medical Records
    • CHOC Health Hub
  • For Medical Professionals
    • Refer a Patient
    • Care Guidelines
    • Physician Relations
    • Continuing Medical Education
    • Residency and Training Programs
  • Research & Innovation
    • Research Institute
    • Medical Innovation Institute (Mi4)
  • Locations
    • Emergency Departments
    • CHOC Hospital
    • CHOC at Mission Hospital
    • Urgent Care
    • Primary Care Offices
    • Specialty Centers
    • All CHOC Locations
  • About
    • Main Operator: 714-997-3000
    • Customer Care: 714-509-3200
    • Nurse Advice: 1-844-GET-CHOC
    • Contact Us
    • CHOC Foundation
    • Events
    • News Media Resources
  • Find a Doctor
  • Careers
  • Log In
    • MyCHOC
    • MyChart (CHOC Mission)
  • Donate

Questions about your child's health? Call our free 24/7 Nurse Advice Line 844-GET-CHOC.

Home » Conditions » Mental Health » Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD)

Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD)

  • Conditions Home
      • A
      • B
      • C
      • D
      • E
      • F
      • G
      • H
      • I
      • J
      • K
      • L
      • M
      • N
      • O
      • P
      • WXYZ
      • Allergy / Immunology
      • Cardiology
      • Dermatology
      • Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
      • Gastroenterology
      • General Surgery
      • Genetics
      • Hematology
      • Infectious Disease
      • Metabolic Disorders
      • Neurology
      • Neurosurgery
      • Oncology
      • Ophthalmology
      • Orthopedics
      • Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose, and Throat)
      • Plastic Surgery
      • Primary Care
      • Psychiatry
      • Psychology
      • Pulmonology
      • Rehabilitation Services
      • Sleep Medicine
      • Urology

As many parents know, a child can be argumentative or strong-willed when a limit is set. Preschoolers, for example, commonly exhibit temper tantrums when they are asked to stop playing with a favorite toy or get ready for bed. But if a child has frequent temper tantrums and consistently refuses to follow requests day after day, he or she may have a deeper problem. Defiance and aggressiveness that repeatedly impacts family, social, or school activities, could be a sign of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).

What is oppositional defiant disorder?

Before puberty, ODD is more common in boys. After puberty, it occurs almost equally among boys and girls. ODD has no clear cause. The behaviors appear to arise from a combination of genetics and poor parent-child interactions. It may also involve environmental factors that begin in early childhood. Children with ODD often have difficulty making friends. This is because they view other children’s behavior as hostile and respond aggressively.

What causes oppositional defiant disorder?

Before puberty, ODD is more common in boys. After puberty, it occurs almost equally among boys and girls. ODD has no clear cause. The causes of ODD behaviors appear to be a combination of genetics, trauma, or disrupted parent-child attachment. It may also involve environmental factors that begin in early childhood.

What are the signs and symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder?

Children with ODD may refuse to follow commands or requests made by parents, teachers or other adults. They may also overreact to life events. They frequently fail to take responsibility for their actions, and at times show little remorse. Signs and symptoms of ODD are commonly linked with these behaviors:

  • Frequent temper tantrums that are outside of what one would expect for a child’s age, gender and culture.
  • Is often angry or easily annoyed.
  • Argumentative toward adults or others.
  • Deliberately annoying others.
  • Blaming others for mistakes or misbehavior, even when caught in the act.
  • Being resentful, spiteful or vindictive.
  • Being aggressive toward peers, and angry or disruptive toward adults.

ODD Behavior

ODD behavior is different from normal behavior because it persists and impacts social relationships. Children with ODD typically display irritable mood, argue with adults, or blame others for their mistakes for at least 6 months. In these cases, children do not consider themselves argumentative. Instead, they perceive that unreasonable demands are being placed on them. While these behaviors often occur exclusively in the home, they can also occur in the classroom or other settings. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, children are diagnosed with ODD only if their behavior goes beyond what is considered normal for children of the same age, gender, race and culture.

How is oppositional defiant disorder treated?

Treatment for ODD is important because a child’s development, relationships and education are at risk if the disorder is not treated. There is a strong body of research that supports Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for children with ODD (Eyeberg, S. M. and Banger, D. M., 2007) and co-occurring conditions such as ADHD (Forehand, R., Parent, J., Sonuga-Barke, E., Peisch, V. D., Long, N., and Aibkoff, H. B., 2016). If untreated, ODD may lead to anxiety, depression, or a more serious disorder called conduct disorder. A child or teen with conduct disorder may harm or threaten people or animals, damage property or engage in serious violations of rules.

Parents who think their child may have ODD should seek help from their child’s doctor or a child psychologist to get appropriate treatment. Diagnosing ODD can be difficult and should be handled by a provider who has experience with the disorder.

1201 W La Veta Ave
Orange, CA 92868

(714) 997-3000

CHOC is affiiliated with

CHOC Links

  • Contact Us
  • Directions
  • Locations
  • News Media Resources
  • Careers
  • Giving

I Want To…

  • Find a Doctor
  • Refer a Patient
  • Pay My Bill
  • Request Medical Records
  • MyCHOC Patient Portal
  • Volunteer

Legal

  • Patient Rights and Responsibilities
  • Notice of Privacy Practices
  • Notice of Nondiscrimination
  • Language Assistance
  • Pricing Transparency
  • Privacy Policy
Choco Wave
  • US News and World Report
  • The Joint Commission
  • California Awards
  • Magnet Recognized
  • Charity Navigator

Language Assistance:

  • Español
  • 繁體中文
  • Tiếng Việt
  • Tagalog
  • 한국어
  • Հայերեն
  • فارسی
  • Русский
  • 日本語
  • العربية
  • ਪੰਜਾਬੀ
  • ខ្មែរ
  • Hmoob
  • हिंदी
  • ภาษาไทย
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

©2025 CHOC, A 501(c)(3) Organization