Oppositional Children: Taming Tyrants

Abstract

This article reviews the research on oppositional or noncompliant children. Although there has been only minimal descriptive research on the personality of these children, there has been considerable behavioral investigation of them and their parents. A number of differences between normal and oppositional children are noted. The major problems delineated by the research focus on the interactions between these children and adults, particularly surrounding issues of control and autonomy. The development of such dysfunctional interactions is discussed, and treatment approaches for oppositional children are examined. Although traditional psychotherapy benefits children with internalized conflict, there is little research to demonstrate that it is powerful enough to produce beneficial changes in oppositional children. Consequently, another approach, which has been reported to be more successful, involves training the parents to become proficient in behavioral techniques such as giving commands and using timeout and reinforcement. The theoretical orientation of this approach is discussed, and further research directions are suggested.