oppositional defiant disorder therapy bergen county NJ

Oppositional Defiant Disorder: What Is It?

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Oppositional Defiant Disorder: What Is It?

By Madison Gesualdo

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition, is a type of conduct disorder in which an individual exhibits frequent patterns of irritable mood, defiant behavior, and vindictiveness. ODD can be specified as mild, moderate, or severe depending on whether the symptoms of the disorder occur only in one setting, at least two settings, or three or more settings, respectively. For an official diagnosis of ODD, individuals must meet the diagnostic threshold of the behavior lasting at least six (6) months, and being evidenced by at least four (4) symptoms of the disorder; additionally, the individual’s disturbance in behavior must exist within the context of social distress, and negatively impact his or her social, educational, or occupational functioning. The individual’s behavior must not also occur as a result of a psychotic, depressive, substance use, or bipolar disorder, and must not fall under the category of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. Once all of these criteria are met, a diagnosis of ODD can be made.

Symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder:

The DSM-5 mandates that, as part of the diagnostic criteria for ODD, an individual must exhibit four (4) or more of the following symptoms. It is important to note that these symptoms should be frequent and persistent, exceeding the normal limit of this type of behavior in individuals. Symptoms of ODD include:

  • Frequent loss of temper
  • Is often touchy or easily annoyed
  • Is often angry and resentful
  • Often argues with authority figures (or, for children and adolescents, with adults)
  • Often does not comply with rules or requests from authority figures
  • Often deliberately annoys others
  • Often blames others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior
  • Has been spiteful or vindictive at least twice within the past six (6) months

If you or someone you know is struggling with oppositional defiant disorder or with mental health in general, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Disruptive, impulse control, and conduct disorders. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Oppositional Defiant Disorder: DSM-5

By: Cassie Sieradzky

Oppositional defiant disorder is characterized by a pattern of angry/irritable mood swings, argumentative/defiant behavior, and vindictiveness. For a diagnosis to be warranted, symptoms must be present for at least 6 months and the individual must display at least 4 symptoms. The behaviors are associated with distress to the individual or those in their immediate circle, such as family or friends. The individual’s behavior may also negatively impact important areas of daily functioning, such as school or work.

A common symptom in individuals with oppositional defiant disorder is an angry/irritable mood. For example, they may often lose their temper, be touchy or easily annoyed, or are commonly angry and resentful. Argumentative/defiant behavior is also a core symptom of this disorder. Someone with oppositional defiant disorder may argue with authority figures or, for children and adolescents, with adults. They may often actively defy or refuse to comply with requests from authority figures or with rules. Additionally, they may deliberately annoy others and blame people for their mistakes or misbehavior. Vindictiveness or spitefulness at least twice within the past 6 months is also a symptom of oppositional defiant disorder.

The diagnosis must be developmentally appropriate. For children younger than 5, the behavior should occur on most days for a period of at least 6 months, while individuals 5 years or older should exhibit symptoms at least once per week for at least 6 months. The disorder varies by severity as to whether the condition is mild, moderate, or severe. Mild oppositional defiant disorder is diagnosed when symptoms are confined to only one setting, moderate severity is diagnosed when symptoms are present in at least two settings, and severe oppositional defiant disorder is diagnosed when symptoms are present in three or more settings.

If you or a loved one appears to be suffering from oppositional defiant disorder, licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy can assist you. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Oppositional Defiant Disorder DSM V – Pearson Clinical NA. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2018, from http://www.bing.com/cr?IG=2282EE88A8B54A4EBBE6371B24777ECE&CID=16FD8C7C2F796F5D053A87C32ED66EB9&rd=1&h=V2GxYeJJUKwraVQBc2bMHklhpE-eVv00fBjh-V2nxkY&v=1&r=http://images.pearsonclinical.com/images/assets/basc-3/basc3resources/DSM5_DiagnosticCriteria_OppositionalDefiantDisorder.pdf&p=DevEx,5064.1