Counseling Adolescents with ODD
Counseling Adolescents with ODD
Respond to at least two of your colleagues by providing one alternative therapeutic approach. Explain why you suggest this alternative and support your suggestion with evidence-based literature and/or your own experiences with clients. In APA Format, provide at least 2 references no more five year old.
Colleagues Respond# 1
Counseling Adolescents with ODD
The case study I choose to write on involved the blaming adolescent. The age is not disclosed in the video, but client appears to be a middle age adolescent male. Base on the case, the adolescent has stolen a car, and he justify why he has taken the car, he placed the blame on the owner of the car because he left the keys in the car. He also stated that if the other student had not told on him, they won’t even be in counseling. He is blaming everyone for his action and doesn’t seem to see anything wrong with his behavior. He also stated that his parents are the people who need counseling, but not him. Unfortunately, he is not taking full responsibility for his bad actions but blaming others for it. He appears to believe he is innocent, and others are to blame for his actions.
Diagnosis
The client behavior may be as a result of uncontrolled emotions such as anger. According American Psychiatric Association. (2013), Disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders include conditions involving problems in the self-control of emotions and behaviors. The disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders are a group of psychiatric conditions that affect the self-regulation of emotions and behaviors that begin in childhood or adolescence (Amboss, 2018). The differential diagnosis for the client presented will be oppositional defiant disorder. The oppositional defiant disorder is classified as a pattern of angry/irritable mood, argumentative/defiant behavior, or vindictiveness lasting at least six months, and often blames others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior.
Most essentially, it is best to investigate the possible causes of ODD. This is because defiant behavior in children can be triggered by issues such as other family abuse, unstable home environment, or sudden change in family structure.
Therapeutic Approaches
The therapy of choice would be cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach as we can see from the clip which involves the psychotherapist collaborating with the client. Cognitive behavior therapy helps the patient understand that they are not bad, but the behavior may be (Wheeler, 2014). Using CBT, clients learn to cope effectively their negative emotions by developing new cognitive and behavioral skills. To change an emotion, one must change how they behave or act.
Another therapeutic approach that have been found very beneficial for client with ODD is the Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), which is a research-based therapy. The client presents with impulse control, poor insight, and defiance. This therapeutic approach focuses on the client’s overall behavior. Clients with difficulty managing the emotional challenges of their lives may be because of lack behavioral coping skills. using this therapy, the client will openly discuss their feelings, display insight into their decision process while judgment is not portrayed. A strong commitment to change must be displayed. Studies have shown that, DBT treatment is most effective when it includes individual therapy, a weekly skills training group, and assistance with skills application by phone with the client own therapist between sessions (Mindfulness Therapy Associates, 2019). According to Bass, van Nevel, and Swart, (2014), dialectical behavioral therapy has been shown to improve behavior in three strong areas that disordered adolescents typically need help in improving: lack of the needed behavioral coping skills, accepting reality as it is, and maintaining strong commitment to change.
