oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder

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.