Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffMany children with oppositional defiant disorder have other treatable conditions, such as:
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Learning and communication disorders
If these conditions are left untreated, managing ODD can be very difficult for the parents, and frustrating for the affected child. Children with oppositional defiant disorder may have trouble in school with teachers and other authority figures and may struggle to make and keep friends.
ODD may be a precursor to other, more-severe problems such as conduct disorder, substance abuse and severe delinquency.
- Oppositional defiant disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Oct. 25, 2011.
- Nurcombe B. Oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. In: Ebert MH, et al, eds. Current Diagnosis and Treatment: Psychiatry. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3290408. Accessed Oct. 25, 2011.
- Disruptive behavioral disorders. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/pediatrics/mental_disorders_in_children_and_adolescents/disruptive_behavioral_disorders.html#v1106068. Accessed Oct. 25, 2011.
- Hamilton SS. Oppositional defiant disorder. American Family Physician. 2008;78:861.
- Children with oppositional defiant disorder. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/children_with_oppositional_defiant_disorder. Accessed Oct. 25, 2011.
- Steiner H. Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with oppositional defiant disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 2007;46:126.
- Loeber R, et al. Perspectives on oppositional defiant, conduct disorder, and psychopathic features. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2009;50:133.


Find Mayo Clinic on