oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder

• related: Pediatric

Oppositional Defiant

• features
  • negative, hostile, and defiant behavior
  • disobedient with authority figures, and are argumentative and angry.
  • angry/irritable mood
  • behavior does not include cruelty towards people/animal, stealing, destruction
  • more reactionary than deliberate

Treatment of oppositional defiant disorder centers on psychotherapy.

Conduct

• features:
  • violation of basic rights of others or social norms.
  • Torturing or killing animals
  • Destruction of property, setting fires
  • serious violation of rules (truancy/absent from school, running away)
  • lying or stealing
  • After age 18, conduct disorder is considered antisocial personality disorder.
• treatment: The primary treatment of conduct disorder is psychotherapy. Pharmacotherapy can be used to manage the associated symptoms of mood instability, anger, etc.
  • CBT
  • parent management training

Note: Conduct disorder is more severe and serious than the disobedient behaviors of oppositional defiant disorder.