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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffIdeally, treatment for oppositional defiant disorder involves your primary care doctor and a qualified mental health professional or child development professional. It may also help to seek the services of a psychologist specializing in family therapy.
These health professionals can screen for and treat other mental health problems that may be interfering with oppositional defiant disorder, such as ADHD, anxiety or depression. Successful treatment of the often-coexisting conditions will improve the effectiveness of treatment for ODD. In some cases, the symptoms of ODD disappear entirely.
Successful treatment of oppositional defiant disorder requires commitment and follow-through by you as a parent and by others involved in your child's care. Most important in treatment is for you to show consistent, unconditional love and acceptance of your child — even during difficult and disruptive situations. Doing so can be tough for even the most patient parents.
Learning or improving parental skills
A mental health professional can help you learn or strengthen specific skills and parenting techniques to help improve your child's behavior and strengthen your relationship with him or her. For example, you can learn how to:
- Give effective timeouts
- Avoid power struggles
- Remain calm and unemotional in the face of opposition
- Recognize and praise your child's good behaviors and positive characteristics
- Offer acceptable choices to your child, giving him or her a certain amount of control
- Establish a schedule for the family that includes specific meals that will be eaten at home together, and specific activities one or both parents will do with the child
- Limit consequences to those that can be consistently reinforced and if possible, last for a limited amount of time
Success requires perseverance, hard work
Although some parent management techniques may seem like common sense, learning to use them in the face of opposition isn't easy, especially if there are other stressors at home. Learning these skills may require counseling, parenting classes or other forms of education, and consistent practice and patience.
At first, your child is not likely to be cooperative or to appreciate your changed response to his or her behavior. Expect that you'll have setbacks and relapses, and be prepared with a plan to manage those times. In fact, behavior often temporarily worsens when new limits and expectations are set. However, with perseverance and consistency, the initial hard work often pays off with improved behavior and relationships.
Individual and family counseling
Individual counseling for your child may help him or her learn to manage anger. Family counseling may help improve communication and relationships and help family members learn how to work together.
