The Use of Empirically Supported Strategies for Building a Therapeutic Relationship With an Adolescent With Oppositional-Defiant Disorder

Manualized evidence-based treatments, particularly behavioral and cognitive-behavioral interventions, have been found efficacious for the treatment of adolescents with oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD). However, despite research that underscores the importance of the therapeutic relationship for the success of treatment, manuals do not adequately address how a therapist should engage an adolescent and his/her family in treatment. This paper demonstrates how to utilize findings from the empirical literature on youth and parent engagement when delivering evidence-based treatment to an adolescent diagnosed with ODD. Examples of strategies for engaging adolescents and parents in treatment are provided.