User:Thierry Robillard-Martel/ODD

Etiology

The cause of ODD is unknown. There is no specific element that have yet been identified as directly causing ODD. Researches looking precisely at the etiological factors linked with ODD are limited. The literature often examines common risk factors linked with all disruptive behaviours, rather than specifically about ODD. Symptoms of ODD are also often believed to be the same as CD even though the disorders have their own respective set of symptoms. When looking at disruptive behaviours such as ODD, research has shown that the causes of behaviours are multifactorial. However, disruptive behaviours have been identified as being mostly due either to biological or environmental factors.

Social-Cognitive Factors

As many as 40 percent of boys and 25 percent of girls with persistent conduct problems display significant social-cognitive impairments. Some of these deficits include immature forms of thinking (such as egocentrism), failure to use verbal mediators to regulate his or her behavior, and cognitive distortions, such as interpreting a neutral event as an intentional hostile act.[9] 'Children with ODD have difficulty controlling their emotions or behaviors. In fact, students with ODD have limited social knowledge that is only based on individual experiences that shapes how they process information and solve problem cognitively. This information can be linked with the social information processing model (SIP) that describes how children process information in order to respond appropriately or inappropriately in social settings. This model explain that children will go through five stages before displaying behaviors: encoding, mental representations, response accessing, evaluation and enactment. However, children with ODD have cognitive distortions and impaired cognitive processes. This will therefore directly impact their interactions and relationship negatively. It has been shown that social and cognitive impairments result in negative peer relationships, loss of friendship and an interruption in socially engaging in activities.' Children learn through observational learning and social learning. Therefore, observations of models have a direct impact and greatly influence children behaviors and decision-making process. Children often learn through modeling behavior. Modeling can act as a powerful tool to modify children’s cognition and behaviors.' '

Prenatal factors and birth complications

Many pregnancy and birth problems are related to the development of conduct problems. Malnutrition, specifically protein deficiency, lead poisoning, and mother's use of alcohol or other substances during pregnancy may increase the risk of developing ODD. In numerous research, substance abuse prior to birth have also been associated with developing disruptive behaviours such as ODD. Although pregnancy and birth factors are correlated with ODD, strong evidence of direct biological causation is lacking.

Environmental factors

Negative parenting practices and parent–child conflict may lead to antisocial behaviour, but they may also be a reaction to the oppositional and aggressive behaviors of children. Factors such as a family history of mental illnesses and/or substance abuse as well as a dysfunctional family and inconsistent discipline by a parent or guardian can lead to the development of behavior disorders.[medical citation needed] Parenting practices not providing adequate or appropriate adjustment to situations as well as high ratio of conflicting events within a family have been shown to be causal factors of risk for developing ODD.

Insecure parent–child attachments can also contribute to ODD. Often little internalization of parent and societal standards exists in children with conduct problems. These weak bonds with their parents may lead children to associate with delinquency and substance abuse. Family instability and stress can also contribute to the development of ODD. Although the association between family factors and conduct problems is well established, the nature of this association and the possible causal role of family factors continues to be debated.[9]

Low socioeconomic status is associated with poor parenting, specifically with inconsistent discipline and poor parental monitoring, which are then associated with an early onset of aggression and antisocial behaviors.[citation needed] In a numbers of studies, low socioeconomic status has also been associated with disruptive behaviours such as ODD.

Other social factors such as neglect, abuse, uninvolved parents and lack of supervision can also contribute to ODD.[10]

Externalizing problems are reported to be more frequent among minority-status youth, a finding that is likely related to economic hardship, limited employment opportunities, and living in high-risk urban neighbourhoods.[9] Studies have also found that the state of being exposed to violence was also a contribution factor for externalizing behaviours to occur.