Reducing Aggression Using a Multimodal Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Approach: A Case Study of a Preschooler With Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Individual cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) have been shown to be effective in decreasing disruptive behaviors in children and adolescents; however, less is known regarding their efficacy with preschoolers given the developmental limitations accompanying this age range. The current case study extends the use of individual CBT to a preschool aged girl with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and is the first to investigate its efficacy in combination with behaviorally-based parent training and classroom teacher consultation. A total of 18 CBT sessions with the child and her parents, in addition to school observations and on-site and phone consultations with teachers, were conducted over a 4-month period. Post-treatment and 2-month follow-up assessments demonstrated significant decreases in physical aggression and property destruction, as well as for parent and teacher reported internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Collectively, results of the case study provide preliminary evidence that a multimodal approach can be applied effectively to treat behavioral problems in preschool-age children.