Oppositional Behaviour

It’s extremely common for children to have occasional outbursts of frustration and disobedience, but a persistent pattern of anger and defiance could be a sign of oppositional behaviour, or possibly oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). 

Some example of oppositional behaviours in children can include: 

• Frequent temper tantrums or episodes of anger
• Being unusually angry or irritable
• Refusing to follow rules
• Excessive arguing with adults and authority figures
• Always questioning or disregarding rules 
• Blaming others for their behaviours 
• Being easily annoyed 

Oppositional behaviours can also occur in adults and can include: 

• Feeling angry at the world
• Having a strong dislike for authority figures 
• Being defensive or not being open to feedback 
• Blaming others for their mistakes or behaviours