Oppositional Defiant Disorder Screener

The screening score above suggests your child may be at risk for Oppositional Defiant Disorder. 

Oppositional Defiant Disorder is a psychological disorder that is sometimes called a “disruptive behavior disorder.” Children with this disorder may be hostile, defiant, and uncooperative with peers, parents, teachers, and other authority figures. All children show behaviors like these sometimes. But in children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, these behaviors are persistent and more frequent than other children of a similar age. Oppositional Defiant Disorder affects up to 1 in 10 children, and is a risk factor for ongoing serious problems with mental health, school performance, and social relationships. Some children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder progress to having Conduct Disorder as they get older. This is a more serious disorder involving persistent aggression, deceitfulness, and rule-breaking.

A child with this score shows some hostile, defiant, or uncooperative behaviors that suggest their risk for these outcomes may be elevated. They may be frequently angry or argue a lot, may be vindictive or seek revenge on others, and may often refuse to do what others ask them to do. 

Your Next Steps

Many parents and caregivers of children at risk for Oppositional Defiant Disorder struggle to get the resources, support, and information they need. They often feel frustrated, stressed, and angry with their child. If you are the parent or caregiver of a child with symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder, please know you are not alone. Our organization is dedicated to helping parents and caregivers like you. We suggest that you take the following steps to help your child and your family.

First, please visit this page created by the American Psychiatric Association to learn more about Oppositional Defiant Disorder. You may also wish to visit our parent FAQ page. This overview provides answers to common questions parents of children with disruptive behavior disorders (including Oppositional Defiant Disorder) have.

You may wish to screen your child for callous-unemotional traits (which are also called “limited prosocial emotions”). These are traits that include low empathy; low remorse; and a relatively fearless, dominant personality, that increase a child’s risk of developing serious conduct problems.

You may also wish to screen your child for a reading disorder or low reading skills. Low reading skills are a risk factor for Oppositional Defiant Disorder. You can ask your child’s school to conduct a formal reading assessment. You can also use this free online reading screener. 

Planning an appointment with a clinician

A child with Oppositional Defiant Disorder screening scores in this range should be evaluated by a mental health professional. 

You can ask your child’s doctor, school, or social worker for a referral. You can also review our provider list for clinicians who specialize in treating children with disruptive behavior disorders in your area. 

Please know that many physicians and psychologists do not have training in assessing or treating children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder. You should plan to provide them with information to help them assess your child.

First, you can complete this worksheet and provide it to your child’s medical provider during your visit. Please specifically ask that your child be evaluated for Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder (with or without Limited Prosocial Emotions). 

You should also review the information we provide about effective treatments for children with disruptive behavior disorders like Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Do not assume your clinician will be familiar with evidence-based treatments. 

You may need to specifically request that your clinician refer you to a therapist who can provide you with one of the forms of family-based therapy that have been shown to reduce symptoms and improve outcomes in children with disruptive behavior disorders like Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

Other steps

Some children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder victimize members of their household, including their parents. If you are concerned about your child’s behavior in this regard, you can contact a domestic abuse hotline for help. You can also download this useful booklet created by mental health providers in the United Kingdom to help parents who are being victimized by their children. More resources may also be found in this review of the scientific literature on child-to-parent violence.

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Finally, please consider donating to our organization to help us continue helping families and individuals affected by psychopathy.