109 Introduction to Disruptive Behavior Disorders

A disorder that causes behavior that is significantly disturbing to others (such as aggressive, impulsive, argumentative behaviors, etc.).

The disruptive behavior disorders are abnormal behaviors that are expressed in many different forms. Such behaviors are usually portrayed as inappropriate among most individuals in a society. They are also called Behavioral Disorders. These behaviors also violate the social norms of others and especially towards their siblings. People “break the rules” a little all the time and children also, and especially the rules that they believe are not as important. Over time, children tend to mature and outgrow these disruptive behaviors. When they do not, psychological evaluation is usually advised as this behavior can lead to other more serious disorders (antisocial personality disorder, etc). Several things can lead up to the disorder, including both a biological and environmental basis. Initially, there was much debate over whether or not oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD) should be classified as one disorder, with ODD being a milder precursor to CD. However, it was found that 75% of children with ODD do not develop CD. Although these are found to be separate disorders, they do share many common features such as defiance, aggression, and rule breaking behaviors.

There are three main Disruptive Behavior Disorders:

• Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• Conduct Disorder
• Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)