| Oppositional Defiance Disorder treatment generally | | | | associated with ODD has been documented. Most |
| results in the combination of following treatment | | | | physicians recommend the use of anti-psychotic |
| methods: | | | | drugs in extreme cases where behavior |
| - Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy is defined as any | | | | modification and psychotherapy have failed |
| form of counseling involving a medical profession. | | | | - Behavior Modification: Behavior Modification is a |
| This can range from individual to group or even | | | | form of psychotherapy in which the parent is |
| family therapy. The goal of psychotherapy is to | | | | taught methods of controlling a child's behavior |
| help the child learn ways to express their feeling | | | | using positive techniques. Using a series of |
| and manage their anger. The child learns what | | | | rewards and punishments, the parent begins to |
| triggers their defiant behavior and ways to | | | | teach their defiant child what behaviors are |
| channel that energy in a more productive manner. | | | | acceptable. By encouraging acceptable behaviors, |
| Family therapy is aimed at helping the entire | | | | the parent is able to reduce the incidence of |
| family understand and cope with the child's defiant | | | | defiant behavior. These techniques can be |
| behavior. By understanding the triggers that | | | | combined with individual psychotherapy to provide |
| stimulate a child's defiant behavior the family | | | | an even stronger reinforcement for good |
| learns how to properly respond. | | | | behavior while providing anger management |
| - Medication: An increasingly common solution to | | | | solutions. In a recent study by the Journal of the |
| managing ODD has been to use prescription | | | | American Academy of Child and Adolescent |
| medication. Initially studied to treat chemical | | | | Psychiatry showed that behavior modification |
| imbalances associated with schizophrenia and | | | | combined with psychotherapy is as effective as |
| Parkinson's disease, these anti-psychotic drugs | | | | medication in coping with Oppositional Defiance |
| have been shown to reduce a child's outburst and | | | | Disorder. |
| defiant behavior. However, the long-term effects | | | | While there is on cure for ODD, with proper |
| of these drugs on children has not been studied. | | | | education and dedication, it is possible to control |
| ODD is not caused by a chemical imbalance that | | | | the symptoms. Medication provides a viable |
| can be corrected using medication. Scientist have | | | | solution to coping with the symptoms however, |
| not be able to identify the cause of ODD | | | | should be considered only as an alternative to |
| however, their ability to reduce the symptoms | | | | failed behavior modification. |