Dealing with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

ODD Treatment and Therapy in Toronto

What is ODD?

ODD is a behavioural disorder that is characterized by repetitive patterns of defiant, hostile, and disobedient behaviours towards adults and authority figures. Patience and consistency are important in effectively supporting these individuals; often times they are just looking to connect with someone. Fortunately, there are many effective virtual and in-person treatments and therapies in Toronto that can help children manage their behavioural symptoms.

What are Common ODD symptoms?

Children with ODD may show the following symptoms and/or face these challenges:

• Easily lose their temper, have repeated temper tantrums

• Argue or fight excessively with adults

• Difficulty following rules/instructions; question rules

• Deliberately act in ways that could annoy others

• Blame others for their behaviour and/or mistakes

• Hostility towards others

• Difficulty compromising

• Deliberately cause conflict within relationships – may have difficulty developing and maintaining relationships

• Repeated disobedience

• Easily and/or frequently frustrated

• Act/speak impulsively

• Difficulty concentrating

• Low self-esteem and negative self-talk

How to Support Children with ODD?

• For behaviours:

  • Provide the child with choices whenever possible – this allows them to maintain a sense of control

  • Create nonverbal signals to remind the child of positive behaviour when they engage in problem behaviour

  • If the child engages in problem behaviour, use “if/then” statements to prompt appropriate behaviour

• For social skills:

  • Use role-play/videos/stories to teach problem-solving skills and perspective-taking

  • Provide child with a list of phrases they can use to be assertive and/or ask for help without physical/verbal aggression

• For emotional regulation:

  • Teach the child self-regulation strategies for when they are feeling frustrated (i.e. deep breathing, drawing out their feelings) and create a list of these strategies that they can keep with them

ODD Support for Families

For individuals and families in Toronto struggling with ODD, there are a variety of in-person and virtual treatments that may be beneficial, including:

• Individual and family therapy

• Social skills training

• Emotional regulation training

• Play therapy

• Cognitive behavioural training

• Parent training in behavioural management for kids with ODD