Online Resource Center On Oppositional Defiant Disorder - American Academy Of Child And Adolescent Psychiatry

Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 28 Jun 2008 - 1:00 PST

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The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry launched a new online Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) Resource Center on its Web site. The center pulls together child and adolescent psychiatrists' knowledge base on ODD and includes basic and advanced information. The center also offers a definition of ODD, answers to frequently asked questions, and information on seeking help.

"We have created this resource center to provide families with the information they need to make good decisions about how to help their children," said AACAP President Robert Hendren, D.O. "The site is intended to provide wider access to the extensive knowledge of child and adolescent psychiatry developed by the AACAP."

Oppositional Defiant Disorder is an ongoing pattern of disobedient, hostile, and defiant behavior toward authority figures which goes beyond the bounds of normal childhood or adolescent behavior. The disorder often co-occurs with ADHD, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse.

The AACAP created the resource center in response to high demand for information on ODD. After AACAP.org's home page, information on Oppositional Defiant Disorder received the highest amount of page views in 2007 with more than 107,000 page views. In addition, individuals used the search term "oppositional defiant disorder" more than any other to bring them to www.aacap.org.

The eAACAP Oppositional Defiant Disorder Resource Center features a child and adolescent psychiatrist speaking about the disorder in two short video clips. Melvin Oatis, M.D, talks about ODD's symptoms and what families can do to find effective help.

eAACAP was created to offer families credible information on the Internet about children's mental illnesses. All information offered in the ODD resource center was created or vetted by child and adolescent psychiatrists, physicians with who have completed at least three years of approved residency training in medicine, neurology, and general psychiatry with adults, and two years of additional specialized training in psychiatric work with children, adolescents, and their families in an accredited residency in child and adolescent psychiatry.

www.aacap.org