Oppositional defiant disorder: Prevalence based on parent and teacher ratings of Malaysian primary school children

Background: This study examined the prevalence rate of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) in Malaysian primary school children. Methods: In all 934 Malaysian parents and teachers completed ratings of their children using a scale comprising DSM-IV-TR ODD symptoms. Results: Results showed rates of 3.10%, 3.85%, 7.49% and 0.64% for parent, teacher, parent or teacher ("or-rule"), and parent and teacher ("and-rule") ratings, respectively. When the functional impairment criterion was not considered, the rate reported by parents was higher at 13.28%. Discussion: The theoretical, diagnostic and cultural implications of the findings are discussed. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.C