When a baby is born, he/she often acts like other babies as they do not have the sense of behaving differently or suspicious that are easily not noticed by their parents. But, after a few months or years of growth, the parents can notice their child’s behavior. But, sometimes this behavior can be different and in other words, it can be abnormal as compared to the other kids. This suspicious and different behavior is often termed as childhood disruptive behavior disorder. If this unusual behavior is repetitive or if it lasts for more than 6 months, the adults, or parents should seek professional help. This childhood disruptive behavior is mainly divided into two types, and they are Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Even though both the disorders are related to childhood disorders but they have some major differences between them. Such as in the symptoms, behavioral changes, risk factors, etc.
Conduct Disorder vs Oppositional Defiant Disorder
The main difference between Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder is that Conduct Disorder is a type of disruptive behavioral disorder where a child becomes aggressive, destructive, physically violating or threatening, etc towards other people. On the other hand, Oppositional Defiant Disorder is a type of disruptive behavioral disorder where a child is often irritated, has severe difficulty while dealing with the targets set by others, is often argumentative, etc.
Conduct Disorder refers to the disruptive behavioral disorder where a child intentionally becomes aggressive, shows unusual behavior towards others, is destructive, etc. The symptoms of this kind of repetitive behavior last for about 12 months. Also, the symptoms of the Conduct Disorder are generally towards the physical violation or aggression. The Conduct Disorder is often diagnosed around the age of 11 years, or sometimes in the early stage of adolescence.
On the other hand, Oppositional Defiant Disorder refers to the disruptive behavioral disorder where a child behaves irritatingly, has severe difficulty while coping up with the targets set by others, is often argumentative, etc. The symptoms of this kind of repetitive behavior last for about 6 months. The symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder are rarely physically violating. Oppositional Defiant Disorder is often diagnosed around the age limit between 8 to 12.
Comparison Table Between Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder
| Parameters of Comparison | Conduct Disorder | Oppositional Defiant Disorder |
| Definition | Conduct Disorder refers to the disruptive behavioral disorder where a child intentionally becomes aggressive, shows unusual behavior towards others, is destructive, etc. | Oppositional Defiant Disorder refers to the disruptive behavioral disorder where a child is often irritated or has severe difficulty while coping up with the targets set by others, often argumentative, etc. |
| Physical Violence | A child with Conduct Disorder is often physically abusive or violating. | A child with Oppositional Defiant Disorder is comparatively less or rarely physically abusive or violating. |
| Subtypes | There are about three types of subtypes of Conduct Disorder. | There are no subtypes of Oppositional Defiant Disorder. |
| Age Limit of Tracking the Disorders | Conduct Disorder is often seen in children around the age of 11, or sometimes in the initial stage of adolescence. | Oppositional Defiant Disorder is often seen in children aged between 8-12 years. |
| Symptoms | The Conduct Disorder includes Symptoms like aggressiveness, violating, the urge of hitting or fighting with someone, physically abusive to both human beings and animals, etc. | The Oppositional Defiant Disorder includes Symptoms like often irritated, confused, blames others for their own mistakes, quickly loses temper, annoys others, etc. |
| Duration of Symptoms | A child with Conduct Disorder deals with at least, 12 months of repetitive symptoms. | A child with Oppositional Defiant Disorder deals with at least 6 months of repetitive symptoms. |
What is Conduct Disorder?
Conduct Disorder refers to the disruptive behavioral disorder where a child intentionally becomes aggressive, shows unusual behavior towards others, is destructive, etc. This disorder is noticed when a child acts differently and not as a normal kid of that respective age should act. Children between the age of 11 and the initial stage of adolescence are detected with Conduct Disorder.
A child with Conduct Disorder is very aggressive or violating, and is always in the urge of hitting or fighting with someone. There are mainly two types of Conduct Disorder, which are divided based on the symptoms of a child. They are childhood-onset and adolescent-onset. The severity of this disorder is depended upon the constancy and the extent of the misconduct.
The Conduct Disorder includes symptoms like aggressiveness, violating, the urge of hitting or fighting with someone, physically abusive to both human beings and animals. A child with this disorder is very violating both physically and verbally. The children are more on the side of negativity and cruelty. Its symptoms last for around 12 months. Also, the risk factor of the Conduct Disorder is high.
What is Oppositional Defiant Disorder?
Oppositional Defiant Disorder refers to the disruptive behavioral disorder, where a child goes through some difficulties like he/she has severe difficulty while coping with targets set by others, is often argumentative, irritative, etc. From the age of 8 to 12 years, this disorder is often tracked in a child. This disorder is slightly less violating both physically and verbally.
The main unusual behavior detected by the child is that he/she is often irritated or aggressive. There are no subtypes of this disorder. The risk factor of Oppositional Defiant Disorder concludes both affective and cognitive-orientated. Also, the seriousness of this disorder depends upon the number of continuous unusual behavior by the child.
The Oppositional Defiant Disorder includes symptoms like irritation, confusion, blames others for their own mistakes, quickly loses temper, annoys others, etc. And, the child with Oppositional Defiant Disorder deals with, at least 6 months of repetitive symptoms. Even though the risk factors or the symptoms might be less violative but, the parents should take immediate action, as it can be cured by taking some kind of therapy session. This kind of behavior should not be ignored, as later on, it can lead to some bigger or tougher dilemmas for both the parents and the child.
Main Differences Between Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Conduct Disorder refers to the disruptive behavioral disorder where a child intentionally becomes aggressive, shows unusual behavior towards others, is destructive, etc. On the other hand, Oppositional Defiant Disorder refers to is a disruptive behavioral disorder where a child is often irritated, has severe difficulty while coping up with targets set by others, is often argumentative, etc.
- A child with Conduct Disorder is often physically abusive or violating. On the other hand, A child with Oppositional Defiant is comparatively less or rarely physically abusive or violating.
- There are three subtypes of Conduct Disorder. On the other, there are no subtypes of Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
- Conduct Disorder is often tracked in children around the age of 11, or sometimes in the initial stage of adolescence. On the other hand, Oppositional Defiant is often seen in children aged between 8-12 years.
- The Conduct Disorder includes symptoms like aggressiveness, violating, the urge of hitting or fighting with someone, physically abusive to both human beings and animals. On the other hand, Oppositional Defiant Disorder includes symptoms like irritation, confusion, blames others for their own mistakes, quickly loses temper, annoys others, etc.
- A child with Conduct Disorder deals with, at least 12 months of repetitive symptoms. On the other hand, a child with Oppositional Defiant Disorder deals with, at least 6 months of repetitive symptoms.
Conclusion
There are many disorders in society, leads from adults to kids. In childhood when unusual or suspicious behavior is noticed in a child it is termed as childhood disruptive behavior disorder. Further, this childhood disruptive behavior disorder is mainly divided into two groups – the Conduct Disorder and the Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Both the disorders differ in many aspects such as in symptoms, the age of diagnosing the disorder, behavior Changes, etc. Conduct Disorder refers to the disruptive behavioral disorder where a child intentionally becomes aggressive, shows unusual behavior towards others, is destructive, etc. And on the other hand, Oppositional Defiant Disorder refers to the disruptive behavioral disorder where a child is often irritated, has severe difficulty while coping up with the targets set by other people, is often argumentative, etc. These two disorders are mostly seen before the age of adolescence. If the behavioral changes of the child remain for a longer time then the parents should immediately seek some professional help.
References
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S089085670960633X
- https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00250.x