Maternal ratings of ODD symptoms: Subtypes versus severity in a general community sample of children

Background and aims Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a common childhood disorder (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000; APA, 2013). The aim of the present study was to ascertain the optimal structure for the ODD symptoms by identifying whether ODD is a qualitatively distinct entity (categorical) or is a continuum, with high levels on this continuum reflecting ODD (quantitative or dimensional view). Methods Mothers' ratings of the ODD symptoms of 457 children, aged 3 to 15 years, as presented in the disruptive behavior rating scale were obtained. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), latent class analysis (LCA), and factor mixture modelling (FMM) were applied to determine the best model for oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms in children. Results The findings provided most support for a FMM with 3 classes (unaffected odd class, at risk class, and affected class) and 3 factors (oppositional, antagonistic, and negative affect). Conclusion The findings are discussed in relation to dimensional, categorical, and hybrid (categorical/dimensional) models of ODD symptoms.