Emotion Regulation and Oppositional Defiant Disorder Symptoms in Adolescence

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is one of the most common referrals in child and adolescent psychiatry. People with ODD have problems with emotion regulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of therapy based on cognitive-behavioral emotion regulation on the symptoms of the disorder and cognitive regulation in adolescents with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).

The design of this study was a type of multiple non-concurrent baseline design. Among the girls referred to psychological centers in Shiraz in the academic year 2020-2021, three clients were selected by convenience sampling method, based on conducting the diagnostic interview, cut-off point 16 in the ODD scale reported by parents, and inclusion and exclusion criteria. An Emotion Regulation Questionnaire & Oppositional Defiant Disorder Rating Scale were used in the baseline, treatment, and follow-up steps. An intervention with the Emotion Cognitive-Behavioral Regulation Therapy for 10 individual sessions each lasting for 90 minutes was performed. Version 16 of Excel software was used to analyze the data.

visual analysis (chart drawing), the index of stable change, the percentage of improvement, and the percentage of non-overlapping data (PND) indicated the therapy based on cognitive-behavioral regulation of emotion had reduced the severity of the symptoms of the disorder and suppression. Treatment had a moderate effect on the reappraisal component.

According to the results, Emotion Cognitive-Behavioral Regulation Therapy can reduce the symptoms of ODD and reduce suppression. Accordingly, this treatment can be used to improve ODD and better emotion regulation.