Comparing the characteristics and outcomes of parent- and teacher-reported oppositional defiant disorder: findings from a national sample

Background:

Parents and teachers often disagree on the presence of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) in children. It has been argued that ODD should be treated as an informant-specific disorder. This study compared the characteristics of children identified with ODD by parent- and teacher-report.

Methods:

We used the 1999 British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey, including more than 10000 observations aged 5-15 years, to investigate symptom profiles, risk factors, comorbidities and three-year outcomes of parent- and teacher-reported ODD.

Results:

Parents and teachers poorly agreed on ODD diagnosis. Parent-reported ODD was more strongly associated with a concurrent anxiety disorder at time1 and a successive diagnosis of ODD at time2. Beyond these differences, parent- and teacher- reported ODD showed similar symptom profiles, risk factors, comorbidities, and outcomes.

Conclusions:

Children identified by parent-report and teacher-report share more similarities than differences in the characteristics of their disorder. This does not support the formation of informant-specific ODD disorders.