Are There Techniques for Dealing With a Teen With ODD?
Teens have always had a reputation for being, shall we say, resistant to authority figures. As they transform from children into adults, the teen years offer a kind of testing ground for practising self-assertion behaviours. However, when a teen’s behaviour becomes exceedingly defiant and hostile toward parents or other people in positions of authority, they may have an oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).
An explosive, difficult adolescent can be quite taxing on families, teachers, fellow students, and friends of the teen. The afflicted teen does not have the skills or maturity to respond appropriately to a given challenge, request, or task, or a rule, so they act out by expressing their frustration in negative behaviours. The bad behaviour then leads to punishments, which lead the teen to act out more, setting up a vicious cycle.
Get to Know the Facts About Oppositional Defiant Disorder
ODD is a common mental health disorder in children and teens, affecting up to
16%
of school-aged children. A teen with ODD will be consistently hostile, uncooperative, and defiant towards parents and other authority figures.
In the DSM-5, ODD is a disorder with a group with other disorders that feature disruptive behaviours. All kids can become argumentative, defiant, angry, or hostile from time to time. Teens with ODD, however, exhibit these traits consistently, and often these responses are unwarranted. It is as if the teen is looking for any reason to act out.
Although the cause of ODD is not yet understood, there are a variety of factors that may influence the development of ODD. These factors include:
Environmental: The family and home environment is a significant factor in ODD. A home that lacked supervision and structure, or where violence and abuse in the home occurred, are at higher risk.
Brain function. Brain studies have shown that kids with ODD have slight differences in the limbic region of the brain. The limbic system is where executive functions like reasoning, impulse control and judgment are regulated.
Genetic. A teen with a parent that struggled with ODD, bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, ADHD, or substance use disorders has a higher chance of developing ODD.
Psychological makeup. A child’s general disposition and temperament can play a role in the development of ODD. Also, they may have underdeveloped coping skills, have trouble identifying social cues, or have delayed emotional maturity.
Symptoms of ODD
An adolescent that exhibits the following symptoms for more than six months may be struggling with ODD:
Symptoms of ODD may include:
- Rejects authority
- Hostility
-
Refusal to follow rules
-
Spitefulness
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Antagonistic behavior
-
Open defiance toward authority figures
-
Verbal aggression, mean and hateful language
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Negative attitude
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Frequent temper tantrums in early adolescence
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Angry outbursts
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Stubborn behaviors
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Vindictive; seeks revenge for perceived slights
- Argumentative and uncooperative
Tips for Parents of Teen with ODD
Parenting a teen that exhibits excessive disobedience is taxing. Every day becomes a war of wills. Voices are raised, tempers flare, and the tension in the home is barely tolerable. Often, an ODD teen learns how to manipulate their parents and teachers.
Kids with ODD do not care about consequences and actually thrive on the chaos they create. Parents may become exhausted and reach a point when they feel they simply can no longer manage their teen.
It is common for parents to become frustrated when the consequences they establish are flaunted. There are some techniques that can help parents deal with a teen with ODD. Consider these tips:
Conventional techniques don’t work. The sooner a parent realizes that the typical discipline measures either don’t work or actually backfire, the sooner the parent will discover. ODD is a power struggle the parent won’t win. Try a different tact, such as making a list of the things you and the teen do agree on. Finding the common ground can help to lay a foundation upon which to establish trust.
Try to lighten the mood. Because laughter truly is the best medicine, breaking the negative atmosphere at home with a little levity can have an equalizing effect. Select some funny movies to watch as a family and make some snacks. Keep the vibe casual and fun. Sometimes this can help break the tension in the home.
Fine-tune your consequences. While maybe extreme, some consequences are going to stand—at least in your home. If you threaten to curtail their cell phone use and they do it anyway, cut off their phone service. If you suspend their Internet use and they go online anyway, disable your router or change your wifi password.
Intensive Treatment for Teen ODD
A treatment plan for ODD is essential for parents who are weary from attempting to manage the teen’s behavior disorder on their own. Getting to the root cause of the teen’s emotional state is key to developing an effective treatment plan. A very thorough intake interview can help distinguish ODD symptoms from similar disorders. This helps in creating a tailored treatment approach that will be effective.
Treatment for ODD usually involves a combination of the following interventions:
Cognitive problem-solving skills training. This is a type of CBT that helps the teen identify irrational or disordered thoughts that trigger hostile behaviours. The teen is guided toward changing these thoughts to help alleviate the negative behaviours.
Parent management training. Parents are coached to set consistent and reasonable boundaries, limits, and rules, and offer tips on the most effective ways to enforce them.
Family therapy. Family-focused therapy teaches family members effective communication skills and conflict resolution techniques.
Individual psychotherapy. The teen engages one-on-one with a psychotherapist to explore and process possible underlying emotional issues.
Medication. Teens with co-occurring ADHD, anxiety, or depression may require medication to help manage the symptoms.
Behavioral-based psychotherapies are the primary protocol for treating ODD. Treatment often includes a reward system, which can help to reinforce new coping skills, social skills, and positive behavior. The family intervention aspect of treatment helps parents gain control in the home, which improves the quality of life for all members of the family.
About the Author
Dr. Arastou Aminzadeh is a triple board-certified physician in psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and addiction medicine, and is the co-founder of BNI Treatment Centers in Agoura Hills, California. Dr Aminzadeh is a fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and also a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. A well-respected leader in the field, he also holds an adjunct faculty position at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, where he completed his residency and fellowship.
Mental Health Clinic - BNI Treatment Centers, based in Agoura Hills, United States.
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Important:
TherapyRoute does not provide medical advice. All content is for informational purposes and cannot replace consulting a healthcare professional. If you face an emergency, please contact a local emergency service. For immediate emotional support, consider contacting a local helpline.
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