The best treatment for oppositional defiance disorder (ODD) involves interventions from the family and some types of psychotherapy and treatment for the affected child. While treatment can only take several months for some children, it may take longer depending on how bad the disorder is and other relative factors.
Medications aren't usually required to treat ODD unless your child has another mental health disorder such as depression and anxiety.
At the moment, parental training remains to be the best treatment option. It involves having a mental health professional with experience of treating ODD and guiding you through the skills you can use to care for your child. The skills are consistent, rewarding, and do not frustrate either you or your child.
As a parent, you learn what instructions to give and what to do depending on the situation at hand through this guidance. It also helps you recognize and praise your child's positive behaviors by encouraging them to keep up with good behaviors.
In exceptional cases, the doctor might ask to take you and your child through the training so you can develop common goals and establish a bond that will help solve the problem at hand. Authority figures in your community, such as teachers, can also be included in the training program if need be.
Other treatment options for ODD include parent-child interaction therapy, individual and family training therapy, social skills training, and cognitive problem-solving training.
This 3-minute, online quiz can be used if you think your child is having emotional, attentional, or behavioral difficulties.