Behaviour Disorders Definitions

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is generally characterized by a recurrent pattern of negative, defiant, disobedient, and hostile behaviour toward authority figures that occurs over a specific period of time.

• Children and youth often lose their temper, argue with adults, refuse to obey the requests or rules of adults, deliberately do things to annoy other people, blame others for their own mistakes, and can be touchy or easily annoyed, angry, resentful, spiteful, or vindictive.
• Much of the defiant behaviour is directed at authority figures but may sometimes target siblings, playmates, or classmates.
• The child’s home life, school life, and peer relationships must be significantly impaired.
• ODD usually appears before eight years of age and no later than early adolescence. Many youth with ODD have other mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, or attention difficulties. Their behaviour problems often develop as a result of these conditions.
  
  Credit: www.edu-resource.com

Conduct disorder (CD) is generally characterized by severe and persistent antisocial behaviour and is associated with a repetitive and persistent pattern of behaviour in which the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate societal norms or rules are violated.

• Problem behaviour may include aggressive conduct, disruptive but non-aggressive conduct (such as theft or deceit and serious rule violations), bullying, cruelty, stealing, weapons use, fire setting, lying, running away, and truancy.
• Conduct disorder is diagnosed when the behaviour has been present for a certain amount of time, begins at specific ages, and is causing significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning. The behaviour is typically seen across a range of settings, including home, community, and school.
• Conduct disorder may also be associated with other disorders, including learning disorders and mental health problems such as ADHD, substance use disorders, anxiety, and depression.
• Conduct disorder usually begins in late childhood or early adolescence, but has been seen in children as young as age five. It rarely develops after 16 years of age.

Source:  Supporting Minds: An Educator's Guide to promoting Mental Health and Well-Being, p.74